Parliamentary committee condemns Krugersdorp violence

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police has condemned the violence that occurred in Krugersdorp on the West Rand on Monday.

The committee said the right to assemble and demonstrate was enshrined in the Constitution but must be respected at all times.

It said these rights came with the responsibility to protest peacefully. It was thus unacceptable that a small group in the Krugersdorp community had decided to burn property‚ including a satellite police station in the area.

“The torching of public and private property undermines the genuine concerns that the community might have. The satellite police station was intended to service the very same community. By burning it‚ the community has exacerbated the challenge of inadequate policing infrastructure in Gauteng‚” said committee chairperson Francois Beukman.

The committee urged the management team of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng to look into the issue of crime‚ which had been raised by the community‚ and provide the committee and the community with immediate feedback.

The committee also urged the community to continue sharing information with the police to ensure effective policing.

“In cases where the community is unhappy with the services they receive‚ they must escalate the complaint to provincial and national level. The committee urges the SAPS to put in place measures aimed at maintaining security and stability‚ which is essential for people to continue with their normal daily lives‚” Beukman said.