Delmas protest - Zuma must act on rural safety

The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands that President Jacob Zuma establish a Border and Rural Safety Division in the SAPS without delay.

DA Mpumalanga Leader, Anthony Benadie, and I led a protest outside the Delmas Magistrate's court today against government's failure to deal with rural crime. Two suspects were in court for a bail hearing for the murder of a 5 month-old baby and his care-giver. 

The DA's rural safety policy, sent to the President today, is a blueprint for ensuring the safety of all rural South Africans. The policy calls for:

• A specialized Rural Safety Division within the police
• A Rural Intelligence Centre to monitor criminal activity
• Rural reaction units to respond to crimes
• Support for police reservist and Community Policing Forums (CPFs)

Existing sector policing in rural areas will be boosted by the addition of this Division. The responsiveness, knowledge and skills of the police force will be massively improved. And most importantly, collaboration between reservists, CPFs and the police will bring people together to work for safety.

This Rural Safety Division will empower rural South Africans to protect themselves. It will create a network of cooperation among communities in rural towns and villages, as well as on farms. Crime is a shared concern of all South Africans in rural areas and requires unity in the fight for rural safety.

We hope that the DA's non-racial protest outside court today has sent a clear message to far-right groups who tried to exploit these Delmas murders through narrow racist politics. A concrete plan for rural safety will not only combat violent crime, it will also close the space for these right-wingers to drive their agenda.

Now is the time for people to unite against crime. We call on President Zuma to do the right thing and empower rural South Africans to protect themselves against violent crime.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, June 7 2012

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