Parliament committee condemns cop killing‚ torching of Hermanus police station

Parliament’s portfolio committee on police has condemned the torching of a police station and the killing of a police officer‚ saying such acts should be regarded as treason.

Committee chairman Francois Beukman called for the harshest punishment possible.

“The portfolio committee on police is of the view that the attacks on the law enforcement fraternity and facilities in the last 72 hours should be dealt with by the SAPS swiftly and directly‚” he said in a statement.

“The perpetrators should be arrested and face the full wrath of the law. We will support all steps within the legislative framework to secure and protect law enforcement officers and property of the state.”

The statement followed the killing of a policeman outside his home in Bloemfontein on Sunday. At the weekend housing protests broke out in Hermanus in the Western Cape‚ where a satellite police station was set alight.

“We call again on any member of the community to help the police in finding and arresting the perpetrators of the heinous crime. We trust that the National Commissioner will ensure that all necessary resources are made available to the team investigating the attack‚” Beukman said.

He extended his condolences to the family of the police officer and his colleagues and urged communities not to destroy their own infrastructure.

“The torching and damaging of police stations and satellite stations is hugely detrimental to communities‚ because it directly affects the ability of the police to deal with crime effectively‚” the statement said.

“Damage to police stations means that resources meant for the building of new ones and the upgrading of existing stations will be negatively affected.”

The acts of violence follow weeks after a deadly attack on a police station in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape. Five policemen died in the attacks.