We want action against township murders, says Cosatu ahead of picket

Growing concern about murders and lawlessness, specifically in townships, has prompted the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) to picket outside SAPS headquarters in Durban on Friday. 

Cosatu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said members would hand over a memorandum of demands to police. 

“The point we are wanting to emphasise is the ongoing killings occurring in townships. It is a symptom of a deeper crisis that our people are facing. We know very well that our people are killed every day in townships, it is something that is becoming normal. But if it is not a massacre, five or six people being killed at once, then police are not interested.”

Mkhize said among demands were police accountability, an update on murder cases and proposals on how police can use technology to combat crime. 

“We are demanding accountability on each and every [township murder]. We don't see police in our community with a strategy of crime prevention. It is becoming normal for people to be marked and taken out. We think fighting crime using technological advancements could help police. As ratepayers we are paying for crime intelligence work, but we are not seeing this.”

Mkhize said the picket would be followed by a provincial shop stewards' council meeting, ahead of a national stayaway on Wednesday against the rising cost of living, fuel costs and load-shedding.

This follows the SA Federation of Trade Unions' announcement last week that it would embark on a national shutdown against the rising cost of living and other issues affecting the working class on the same day.

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