MEC Dan Plato welcomes arrest of Andile Lili
30 July 2015
I welcome the arrest of Ses’khona leader and ANC Provincial Executive member, Andile Lili, for his incitement of violence made publicly earlier this week. Lili called on community members to take the law into their own hands and kill suspected criminals, brutally.
The dangerous comments from Mr Lili requires both organisations to follow the hard stance taken by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and discipline, if not expel, him from their ranks. This will send a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
Mr Lili made his remarks knowing very well that he is a representative of both organisations. By not distancing themselves from Mr Lili’s calls, both the ANC and Ses’khona will have blood on their hands if the public are incited to violence.
Let me be clear: no killing is ever justified.
We cannot create safer environments where people live, work and move about if apparent leaders in communities call for violence, murder and crime in response to unhappiness with the criminal justice system.
I have repeatedly called for everyone, every department and sphere of government, involved in the criminal justice value chain to work better together. This is the only way to up the conviction rate, and get criminals off our streets.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility but taking the law into your own hands will not make anyone safer.
I trust that the police under Acting Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Thembisile Patekile, are doing the best they can with the limited resources provided to them from the National Commissioner.
Irresponsible calls to take the law into one’s own hands will only hinder the cause of safety in this province. Incitements like Mr Lili’s have the potential to make murderers out of community members who believe the apparent leaders of organisations they support.
I call on communities to work with the police, to assist them in their investigations, to testify against criminals in court and enable the convictions that will make our streets safer.
Statement issued by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety, July 30 2015
