Police officers push around AfriForum representatives and victims of farm murders in front of Minister’s office

27 July 2015

AfriForum is to lay charges against the Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko, the National Police Commissioner, Gen Riah Phiyega and the Tshwane Metro Police, after representatives of this organisation and victims whose loved ones were recently murdered on farms, were today pushed around by police officers and threatened with arrest in front of the Minister’s office.

The incident occurred following a wreath-laying ceremony – which was held by AfriForum and victims of farm attacks – when two AfriForum representatives wanted to deliver a memorandum at the Head Office of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The memorandum contains a motion of no confidence in the Department of Police and the SAPS, regarding their inability and unwillingness to actively combat farm murders.  

Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, explained that the organisation complied with all the requirements of the Regulations of Gatherings Act and that the gathering was peaceful and legal. “Notwithstanding all the proof that the Minister’s office and the Tshwane Metro Police received our notification to hold this gathering, it was alleged today that no one was informed about the gathering and that it was, in their opinion, an illegal gathering.” 

After AfriForum and the victims had to wait in the street for an hour for a representative of the Minister to receive the memorandum, they entered the arcade, in which the main entrance to the Head Office of the police is situated, and went ahead with the wreath-laying ceremony.

Seeing as no one from the Minister’s office wanted to receive the memorandum, Roets and Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety, walked towards the entrance hall to hand over the memorandum. However, armed policemen obstructed their path. Roets and Cameron tried walking through the officials, after which they were pushed around by the police and threatened with arrest. Bernadette Hall, whose husband was murdered on their farm in 2012, was also pushed around by the police officials.

Roets explained that this is the worst form of insensitivity imaginable: “A group of victims whose loved ones were murdered, approach the police for help, but the Metro Police fails to organise security for the gathering, the Minister refuses to receive their memorandum and he sends his troops to push around the victims after they had to wait in the street for an hour. It is a violation of every victim’s basic rights concerning freedom of movement, freedom of speech and freedom of bodily integrity. If the Minister is of the opinion that he can silence those requesting for the prioritisation of farm murders by means of bully tactics, he is making a huge mistake.”

The memorandum was received two hours later by a representative of the police’s security section.

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Letter to the Tshwane Metro Police, July 24 2015

24 July 2015

Mrs Hilda Mohale

Superintendent: Events Management Tshwane Metro Police

Dear Mrs Mohale

AFRIFORUM PUBLIC GATHERING SCHEDULED FOR 27 JULY 2015

I write to you in the light of ambiguous communications that we have received from the Tshwane Metro Police, as well as the Ministry of Police, regarding AfriForum’s intended public gathering, to be hosted on Monday.

It has been alleged that we did not comply with the specifications of the Regulation of Gatherings Act, 205 of 1993. In the light thereof, I would like to point out the following:

1. We have given notice of the intended gathering, as prescribed by Section 3(1) of the Act. Please note that, according to the Act, this is not an “application” to gather, as it has been described by representatives of the Tshwane Metro Police, but a “notice” that the gathering will take place.

2. The first notice was given on Monday, 20 July 2015. This was seven days before the intended gathering, as prescribed by Section 3(2) of the Act. Please note that the Act does not prescribe that the notice must be given seven “working days” prior to the event, as was alleged. The statement that AfriForum’s notice to gather was too late is simply not true.

3. All the information that we are required to provide in terms of Section 3(3) of the Act, has already been provided on 20 July 2015 by e-mail and fax. This was done on the prescribed form that AfriForum has used for all of its public gatherings in Pretoria in the last nine years. This form was provided to us by the Tshwane Metro Police.

4. Please note that Section 4(3) of the Act stipulates the following:

“If a convener has been notified in terms of Subsection (2)(a) or has not, within 24 hours after giving notice in terms of Section 3(2), been called to a meeting in terms of Subsection (2)(b) of this section, the gathering may take place in accordance with the contents of the notice and in accordance with the provisions of Section 8, but subject to the provisions of Sections 5 and 6.”

5. To date, we have not been invited to a meeting with the Tshwane Metro Police, nor have we been informed in writing that we are not allowed to continue with the public gathering, as indicated.

6. A refusal by the office of the Minister of Police to provide a written confirmation that a representative will accept our memorandum can in no way be interpreted as an indication that the gathering is not allowed to continue.

In the light of the confusing messages that we have received during the last week, I wish to state the following on record:

1. The intended gathering will continue, as indicated on 20 July 2015. There will not be a procession, marching of any sort or chanting of any slogans and traffic will not be disrupted in any way. The event will be quick and peaceful.

2. I will be the convener of the gathering. My details have been provided in the notice of 20 July 2015.

3. In the event that the Minister of Police is not prepared to send a representative to accept our memorandum, we will submit our memorandum at reception.

4. The provisions to the conduct of gatherings, as provided by Section 8 of the Act, will strictly be adhered to by us.