MANANA INTERVENES AT
ALLEGED POLICE BRUTALITY IN MATSULU
Media Release
06 November 2009
Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security
and Liaison MEC, Ms. Sibongile Manana
has intervened over alleged shooting and
assaulting of people in Matsulu Township
outside Nelspruit during the weekend of
30 and 31 October 2009.
The shooting incidents allegedly
resulted from police operation that took
place in taverns around Matsulu over the
past weekend.
Manana was told by angry community
members at a meeting yesterday
(Thursday, 5 November 2009) that they no
longer want the Matsulu Police Station
Commissioner as he is the one who
allegedly authorized the local police to
go on a shooting spree that resulted in
the death of five people. At least 47
people were admitted at a Rob Ferreira
hospital in Nelspruit.
Manana was accompanied by the Mpumalanga
SAPS Assistant Commissioner, Rex Machabi
and Matsulu Station Commander, Capt
Sikhumbuzo Mkhandawiri.
Manana has condemned the alleged police
brutality, saying police are supposed to
protect the community and not harass
them.
“Police are custodians of human rights
and therefore cannot, in the process of
executing their duties, be violating
those rights”.
Some of the victims claimed to have been
assaulted by the police while they were
not at the taverns.
Manana stated that irrespective of
whether the victims were at taverns
outside trading hours, under no
uncertain terms are police expected to
shoot, harass or intimidate community
members.
This, the MEC said, will affect the
government’s effort to improve the
relationship between the police and the
community.
Manana has called on the Matsulu
community to remain calm and not cause
damage to property, harass or intimidate
other people while the Independent
Complaints Directorate (ICD) is
investigating these allegations.
She said the ICD should attend to the
allegations as urgently as possible so
that those who are guilty are harshly
dealt with.
Issued by Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison
Enquiries: Zibonele Mncwango on
013 766 4018 or 072 159 1865
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