Zuma, Saps under fire for
police brutality incidents
JOHANNESBURG – President Jacob Zuma and the South African Police Service
(Saps) have come under attack from Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of
Parliament (MPs) who blame the African National Congress (ANC) for incidents of
police brutality in the
country.
In his reply to Zuma’sState of the Nation Address (Sona), the DA’s deputy shadow minister of police, ZakheleMbhele, spoke about two recent cases involving Gauteng police officers.
The one involved RikkyMinyuku, a pregnant woman who told Eyewitness News how she was verbally abused and assaulted, allegedly by police who accused her of ‘faking her citizenship’.
Minyuku, who is in fact a South African citizen but grew up in the United States, was pulled out of a taxi in Alexandra during a roadblock last week.
Mbhele says it's unacceptable.
“The fact of the matter is that the state of policing, like the state of the nation, is one of stagnant decay, poor management and directionless leadership.”
The DA shadow minister also spoke about the case of 26-year-old Lana Stander from Randburgwho was assaulted, also allegedly by police officers.
Stander caused a car accident on Saturday after having an epileptic fit, but police accused her of being drunk.
WATCH: 'Police beat and tortured me'
In his reply to Zuma’sState of the Nation Address (Sona), the DA’s deputy shadow minister of police, ZakheleMbhele, spoke about two recent cases involving Gauteng police officers.
The one involved RikkyMinyuku, a pregnant woman who told Eyewitness News how she was verbally abused and assaulted, allegedly by police who accused her of ‘faking her citizenship’.
Minyuku, who is in fact a South African citizen but grew up in the United States, was pulled out of a taxi in Alexandra during a roadblock last week.
Mbhele says it's unacceptable.
“The fact of the matter is that the state of policing, like the state of the nation, is one of stagnant decay, poor management and directionless leadership.”
The DA shadow minister also spoke about the case of 26-year-old Lana Stander from Randburgwho was assaulted, also allegedly by police officers.
Stander caused a car accident on Saturday after having an epileptic fit, but police accused her of being drunk.
WATCH: 'Police beat and tortured me'
Mbhele says police will keep abusing citizens because the ANC doesn't
lead by example.
“These kinds of abuses happen because of a culture of impunity and weak accountability in the police service. It’s little surprise that this is the case when the evasion of accountability has become the dominant theme of the governing party and this administration.”
In its recent report, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation said its research showed that only 47.9 percent of South Africans trust the police, down from over 60 percent in 2012.
(Edited by Tamsin Wort)
“These kinds of abuses happen because of a culture of impunity and weak accountability in the police service. It’s little surprise that this is the case when the evasion of accountability has become the dominant theme of the governing party and this administration.”
In its recent report, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation said its research showed that only 47.9 percent of South Africans trust the police, down from over 60 percent in 2012.
(Edited by Tamsin Wort)
