Tebogo Msimanga |
The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West on Saturday called for a summit to address police brutality to entrench a culture of human rights within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
SANCO Provincial Chairperson Paul Sebegoe said the shooting of Nathaniel Julies and Mthokozisi Ntumba at the hands of “trigger-happy elements within our law enforcement is a stark reminder of what still needs to be done urgently” to eradicate the culture of brutal policing that was associated with the Sharpeville Massacre.
Julies (16) was shot dead just three metres away from his home during a protest last year.Mtumba (35) was shot last week when Wits students were protesting. He was not part of the protest, he had just left a doctor’s premises when he was allegedly shot by police.
“The country must continue to nurture unity, reconciliation and nation-building as it commemorates Human Rights Day on 21 March, marking the 61st anniversary of the tragic Sharpeville massacre.”
Sebegoe stressed that Public Participation Programmes such as Imbizos as well as Citizens Satisfaction Surveys, including information sharing platforms need to be revived and modernized to ensure that issues that affect communities receive speedy resolution before matters get out of hand.
“Violent retort not only undermines the constitutional right to peaceful protest but brings cyclical violence including destruction of public and private infrastructure that robs our people of valued assets,” he reiterated.