Gun owners’ body slams
Cele, SAPS for ‘illegal treatment’ of citizens
Citizen reporter
Police Minister Bheki Cele is seen during a press briefing at the
Department of Defence Logistic Support Formation Tekbase, 18 March 2019,
Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
‘A government that cannot protect its own people
has no right to deny that people the right to defend themselves,’ GFSA
concluded.
Gun Friendly South Africa (GFSA) slammed
Minister of Police Bheki Cele and the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) for
“failing” to protect its own country’s citizens.
“SAPS have ill-treated lawful gun owners for
more than ten years. Now you tell us you are ‘going to fight very hard’ to take
away our self-defence firearms. No Mr. Cele, No!” the organization said in a
statement.
The South
African National Defence Force (SANDF) and SAPS has come under fire over
recent weeks following a numbers of brutality cases against members of the
public being reported.
GFSA said the public suffered under
maladministration and illegal treatment by the police despite South Africa being one of the countries with
the strictest gun laws in the world.
“You ignore high court orders that forbid
disabling the SAPS computer systems for renewals, raid the homes of private
citizens to illegally confiscate guns and refuse licences to completely
qualified applicants.”
The organization also accused the Cele of
appealing every court decision against SAPS.
“You ignore service standards set by the police
portfolio committee, harass lawful gun dealers, interpret and amend the law and
regulations to suit your agenda and draft irrational directives.
“You also encourage animosity and distrust
between lawful citizens and the SAPS staff who are charged with serving us.
Covid-19 has shown us what you think about our civil rights, and the public
sees you for the bully that you are,” the organisation added.
GFSA continued: “You have made this a personal
fight. We will expose your trampling of our civil rights.”
The organization said it will expose SAPS’
mistreatment to the media, public and the police portfolio committee in
parliament.
“They will receive weekly reports of abuse and
maladministration and we have every intention to name and shame the offenders.
Mr. Cele, you have pushed us to the brink.
“A government that cannot protect its own
people has no right to deny that people the right to defend themselves,” GFSA
concluded.
Meanwhile, President Cyril
Ramaphosa signed the Independent Police Investigative
Directorate (Ipid) Act, which gives powers to parliament to suspend or remove
the head of Ipid.
In 2016, the Constitutional Court declared
parts of the Ipid Act invalid and unconstitutional as they gave the minister of
police absolute powers to suspend or remove the head of Ipid without a
parliamentary process.
The Democratic Alliance
(DA) had accused Cele of not willing to surrender his powers
over Ipid when it comes to suspension and removal of its head.
