Police asleep as family comes under fire
Source:The Herald Online
Cape Town – Heads may roll after police in Nyanga were found asleep on duty while calls from the public went unanswered, says Community Safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane.
The discovery was made by Guguletu community police forum chairman Danile Landingwe who intervened when police ignored a family’s repeated appeals for help after their home came under gunfire early on Saturday.
“This kind of behaviour is unacceptable,” Mr Ramatlakane said. ”The issue is not negotiable. For police not to act in a case like this shows there is a serious problem and weakness. Those officers not prepared to provide services will fall by the wayside.”
Mr Ramatlakane said the family, whose home in Philippi East came under fire at 1.30am, called police about five times.
Each time they called they spoke to a different officer who promised that the police would send someone, Mr Ramatlakane said.
An hour later, the family contacted Mr Landingwe in adjacent Guguletu. When he got to the police station, he reportedly found all the policemen asleep, the MEC said.
He said he had asked provincial police commissioner Lennit Max to deal with the case in terms of the Police Act and standing orders for police.
“The area commissioner has opened an inquiry and will take statements from all witnesses and act accordingly,” Mr Ramatlakane said.
The NNP yesterday expressed its shock over the incident. “This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable,” said NNP safety and security spokesman Johnny Schippers.
Mr Schippers said it was essential that both Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete and Mr Ramatlakane conduct investigations.
He urged the minister to make the findings of his investigation public as soon as it was completed. – Sapa
