MEC Dan Plato welcomes discontinuing of Worcester Green Card
12 Mar 2015
I welcome the Western Cape South African Police Service's (SAPS') decision to stop the issuing of "Green Cards" to employees and jobseekers in Worcester.
The move to stop the issuing of the cards follows my request to Western Cape Commissioner Lieutenant General Arno Lamoer for an urgent investigation into the matter and shows that the police are serious about correcting the consequences of this controversial sector policing initiative, which I believe violates citizens' constitutional right to freedom of movement.
However, media reports state that National Commissioner, General Riah Phiyega admitted yesterday that the police had been aware of the use of the cards for a while, which raises serious questions over why SAPS management did not act earlier to put a stop to the practice.
I will be raising these questions with Lieutenant General Lamoer and will still request a full report on the investigation by the SAPS, following his assurances this week that he has designated a senior SAPS management official to fully investigate the matter.