SAPS blocks charges against Supra

The SAPS in the North West has today blocked the laying of charges against Premier Supra Mahumapelo for incitement of violence, at the Coligny police station.

The Acting Provincial Police Commissioner, Patrick Asaneng, was personally present to decline to accept the DA's charges against the Premier.

These charges follow the Premier’s racial remarks made at the funeral service of Matlhomola Jonas Moshoeu (16) who was tragically killed in Coligny, where the Premier abused the occasion to politic.

He referred to white people as “visitors who came empty handed to South Africa…none of them came with sunflowers or cows here…” Without a trial Supra referred to the accused people, in the killing of Moshoeu, as racists and said the boy died at the hands of white people.

Instead of calling for calm and solutions to unite the community he abused the opportunity to lash, and divide races, at a time of immense volatility.

The DA believes that the situation in Coligny requires our diverse community to come together, and not to be polarised by those who seek to divide us.

Not only did the ANC fail to manage this tense and dangerous situation, but they also fuelled the community’s rage.

Their irresponsible, bias, criminal and unconstitutional remarks from public podiums are uncalled for and they should be held responsible for their actions.

The public has the right to lay charges and it is the responsibility of the police to investigate. In this case, the acting commissioner was waiting for the DA in the Coligny charge office and said that the police will not take the statement. It is nothing short of unconstitutional for the SAPS to reject a criminal complaint, on flimsy grounds that our statement wasn't in the form of a sworn affidavit, and refusing to take a statement from us.

We can only assume that the Acting Provincial Commissioner was acting on political instructions.

We will report this incident to the acting national police commissioner, General Pahlane.

A police officer should serve every member of the community without fear or favour, and not act to protect ANC cadres. Our communities deserve better and politics must be separated from the police service.

Statement issued by Joe McGluwa MPL, DA North West Leader, 12 May 2017

Update:

DA reports North West Police Commissioner to IPID

14 May 2017

The DA has filed a complaint with the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) to investigate the North West acting provincial police commissioner, Patrick Asaneng for interference with police work, and refusing to accept or investigate a criminal complaint.

The DA intended on Friday to lay charges against Premier Supra Mahumapelo for incitement to violence following his reckless, discriminatory and racially inciting comments made at the funeral service of Matlhomola Jonas Moshoeu (16) who was tragically killed in Coligny, and the Premier abused the occasion to politic.

We believe that Asaneng wrongly interfered with the work of the local Coligny police, and acted to protect Mahumapelo, in that:

On Friday when we approached the police station we were surprised to find Asaneng personally manning the community service centre (formerly known as the charge office) and not allowing the local Coligny police to interact with us.

Asaneng knew we were coming, as a detailed Media Advisory was released and some media covered our intention to lay charges.

Asaneng refused to introduce himself, state his name or rank, and when we enquired about his rankings, he would only say that he is a Groot Krokodil (big crocodile).

He refused to accept our complaint and refused for the SAPS to listen to our complaint and take our statement. Instead he instructed us to leave the station and only come back if we could file what would essentially be a fully investigated and ready-for-prosecution case containing all the elements of the crime. In other words, he refused that the SAPS would even investigate the matter at all, and would only open a case if the DA did the work of the SAPS.

He refused to answer questions when he was asked whether the police don’t take statements themselves anymore.

When asked if he would ever, under any circumstances open a case and give us a case number, he responded: “No promises”.

We believe that this amounts to direct interference by Police leadership in the opening and investigation of a criminal case against the ANC premier. The Provincial Police Commissioner of any province should not interfere in the opening of any case, not least a high-level matter against the Premier, by the Leader of the Opposition.

We therefore request that the IPID investigates Asaneng.

We will still submit our incitement of violence case against the Premier to an alternative SAPS station in the North West, without alerting Asaneng this time, and we expect a full investigation.

Supra cannot be allowed to divide races and fuel racial tension in our province unchecked, which has only added to the violence and unrest in Coligny.

There is no place in our democratic South Africa for police leadership to protect ANC elites from the law catching up with them. The police must accept all cases and investigate them freely and fairly.

Statement issued by Joe McGluwa MPL, DA North West Leader, 14 May 2017