AFRIFORUM AND COMMUNITY OF DELAREYVILLE SUPPORT JACO SWART AT COURT
The case against Jaco Swart (26) of Delareyville - who was arrested on 20 May this year after shooting a burglar dead in self-defence at 02:00 in his home on 16 May 2008 - has been postponed this morning in the Delareyville Magistrate's Court to the 13th of October 2008, in order for the prosecuting authority to decide whether the prosecution of Swart should be continued. Members of AfriForum and the community of Delareyville filled the courtroom in which Swart appeared in support of him.
According to Nantes Kelder, Head of Community Safety of Afriforum, the support which Swart enjoyed at the court, confirms the discontent of the community about the fact that Swart is being prosecuted now, while he in fact was the victim, threatened by burglars in his own home. Kelder emphasised that AfriForum supports the right of every individual to defend him/herself within the framework of the law.
"There is no doubt that Swart simply defended himself against unwelcome trespassers on his property. In the light of the large number of farm murders, Swart's actions were definitely justified," Kelder added.
Kelder has also sent a letter to Mr Frans Vilakazi, MEC of Community Safety in North West, in which AfriForum asks that an investigation should be launched urgently into alleged irregularities at the Delareyville Police Station, of which the malicious arrest of Swart is an example.
The other alleged irregularities include that applications for firearm licences are not sent on to the Central Firearm Registry, and that members of the community are instructed for which arms to apply for licences and for which arms not. It has also come to light that a member of the Delareyville SAPS allegedly accepted a bribe for the inspection of a safe, which has never been done.
Kelder said that it is a cause for great concern that a police station can apparently be ruled by a civilian member of the SAPS and that such a situation would have an extremely negative influence on service delivery.
Statement issued by Nantes Kelder, Head of Community Safety, AfriForum, August 26 2008
