EFF STATEMENT ON POLICE BRUTALITY IN YIZO YIZO SQUATTER CAMP, RUSTENBURG
14 February 2016
The EFF condemns the police brutality against black people in Yizo Yizo informal settlement, Rustenburg, with the contempt it deserves. The North West South African Police Service (SAPS) opened fired in the Yizo Yizo (Tlhabane in Rustenburg Municipality) Squatter Camp late yesterday morning against striking workers who were fighting for their wages from the security company called - Glory To Success.
Police opened fire and this resulted in Given Bogatsu, a 20-year old male getting shot in the head and is now in hospital critically injured.
The Yizo Yizo Squatter Camp workers were disgruntled that their employer refused to pay their hard earned wages. After their pleas for their wages were ignored, the workers decided to take their employer's car and parked it in the squatter camp until they received their wages, as a form of protest.
The employer went to the Tlhabane SAPS for intervention. Five police vehicles were dispatched to Yizo Yizo Squatter Camp to recover the employer's vehicle. Community members, including Given Bogatsu, went out to witness what was going on. The police recovered the vehicle and as they drove off from the scene, one police vehicle opened fire on the peaceful crowd, thus one of the bullets hit Given Bogatsu in the head.
The EFF branches and community members have marched to the police station demanding that the responsible police men be arrested. However, the Colonel on duty dismissively addressed the protesting community members stating that there was no proof that the shots were fired from one of the police vehicles.
Between 8-9pm, the Thlabane police station used rubber bullets and stun grenades in an attempt to disperse the protesters injuring several more people. During this process, the police angrily shouted - 'this is not Parliament, we will deal with you quick quick' - 'you EFF carry on like you are in government, we are not going to tolerate that'.
The EFF Bojanala leadership have opened a case against the police for the shooting of Given Bogatsu. The EFF demands that the investigation is expedited and the SAPS criminals be brought to justice. After the Marikana Massacre, it would be expected that police have become cognitive of workers rights. It can't be that an employer who has not paid wages gets five police vehicles dispatched to recover his vehicle and nothing is done about paying his employees. Instead, police open fire on a peaceful and unarmed crowd after they have recovered the vehicle.
Police brutality will not be tolerated particularly on workers who demand what is rightfully theirs. The EFF will not retreat when threatened by police for supporting and participating in the struggles of our poor communities. Police brutality against unarmed protestors must come to an end.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 14 February 2016
