Police chairperson disappointed by further shooting of student
16 March 2021
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is dismayed by reports of a further shooting and wounding of a student yesterday in Johannesburg.
“This happened despite the call by the President, Cabinet and the Chairperson for restraint, especially dealing with students and public protests in general. The shooting of the student shows a complete disregard for the right to protest, human life and human rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. We require a professional public order policing that displays a respect for human life and protects those who protest peacefully,” MsJoemat-Petterssonemphasised.
The Chairperson has also called on management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to take charge and show leadership because the perpetuation of these shootings has the potential of further eroding the relationship of trust between South Africans and the police. “The work of the police will be negatively impacted if the trust deficit between the public and the police is further eroded. The effectiveness of the work of the SAPS is primarily dependent on a good working relationship between the police and community members,” MsJoemat-Petterssonemphasised.
The committee will, as a result, interact urgently with the leadership of the SAPS on the Panel of Experts report that arose as a recommendation of the Farlam Commission in Inquiry into the Marikana massacre. The meeting is envisioned to take place during the parliamentary recess period in order to urgently find solutions to the increasingly worrying use of excessive force by the police.
The committee has in the recent past held an engagement with the South African Human Rights Commission on the unwarranted excessive use of force and heavy-handedness by the police and had received a commitment from the SAPS to find solutions to this worrying trend. “We cannot condone calls to shoot to kill and we urge police officers to adhere to the law when dealing with public protests,” said MsJoemat-Pettersson.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson has welcomed the speedy arrest by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate of four police officers alleged to be involved with the killing of MrMthokozisiNtumba. MsJoemat-Pettersson has emphasised that the arrest must lead to effective prosecution as a way of ensuring justice for MrNtumba. Also, the committee is hopeful that the arrest will in some way act as a deterrent against the excessive use of force and heavy-handedness by the police. The committee wants consequences for police officers who break the law.
The Chairperson is in agreement with the sentiments of the President that “the shooting of MrNtumba is most unfortunate and it disturbed me quite deeply because it demonstrated that while our people were protesting rather peacefully, there was an overreach, it seems like, by the police. The victim was an innocent bystander and indeed even the students, much as they were protesting, did not warrant the type of resistance and push from our police".
MsJoemat-Pettersson has re-emphasised her condemnation of the unwarranted use of force and has again called for maximum restraint on the part of the SAPS when dealing with protests.
Issued by MalatswaMolepo, Media Officer,Parliamentary Communication Services, 16 March 2021
