BULLIES IN BLUE OUT OF CONTROL SAYS DA

The Gauteng Tactical Response Unit of the SAPS seems to be made up of a bunch of rogue cops (see City Press report). The footage of their recent so-called "raids" on Catz Pyjamas and CJ's bar shows a brutality and unprofessionalism which should be severely punished.

One needs to ask why some of the members are allegedly wearing balaclavas in the CCTV footage of their 'attack' on CJ's bar? Surely police members must be easily identifiable when conducting operations of this nature, or is it because they know they are not behaving procedurally?

The Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lt. General Mzwandile Petros, needs to clarify a number of things:

• How many more incidents of a similar nature have been reported in the past year?
• Who do the Tactical Response Units report to?
• What qualifications or experience do cops need to become a member of this unit?
• Why are the senior officers in this unit not stopping this type of behaviour?
• How many complaints have been made against the Tactical Response Unit for brutality in other cases?

It is also imperative that he commit to finalising and publishing the results of the investigation into these incidents in less than a month, as any longer and it will seem as though the perpetrators are being protected.

Statement issued by Kate Lorimer DA MPL, DA Spokesperson Safety & Security in Gauteng, March 14 2011

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