Deputy Police Minister admits SAPS failed in containing Soweto xenophobic violence
30 August 2018
This morning on SABC’s Morning Live, Deputy Police Minister, Bongani Mkongi, made a stunning admission that the SAPS Crime Intelligence failed in their duty to provide the SAPS with the intelligence necessary to handle the crisis in Soweto yesterday, when violence and looting erupted.
It has been confirmed that three people have died, and numerous acts of xenophobia have been perpetrated, while the lack of Crime Intelligence again left ordinary SAPS officers unable to pre-empt and thus effectively contain the violence and lawlessness.
The DA reiterates our call for calm in the area.
The xenophobia displayed in Soweto must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Indeed, the tense relations between communities and foreign nationals has been created in large part by a failing Department of Home Affairs, under the inept ANC, which is riddled with corruption and mismanagement, ultimately leading to the failure of the immigration system.
South Africans deserve to know that those of other nationalities who live and work in our country are here legally and, equally, that our country has secure borders which are properly monitored and policed.
The DA again calls on the ANC government to secure our borders and to deal with illegal immigration.
Deputy Minister Mkongi’s admission this morning shows that the SAPS is under-resourced and under-equipped to deal with public unrest and violent protests, as has been shown around the country consistently.
Crime Intelligence specially has a vital role to play in bringing down the unacceptably high levels of crime in our country and should have expert, capable leadership to fix this Division and make it effective.
It is high time that the SAPS as a whole is led professionally by fit-for-purpose career cops who have the skills and experience to ensure safe streets and safe homes for all in South Africa.
Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 30 August 2018
