We did not use rubber bullets at Zuma statue unveiling – police
5 October 2017
Zeerust – Police have denied that rubber bullets were used to disperse a group who were protesting the unveiling of a statue of President Jacob Zuma in the North West.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani on Thursday said that "there was no violence reported in any of our police stations".
"There was a small EFF group who tried to disrupt the event. The police managed to stop them. The reports about the brutality or violence, it was not reported to us. Even the TV stations did not show it."
She called on the public to report a case of assault at their nearest police station if they were victims of violence.
She added: "The EFF group was singing and wanted to go inside the hall that the event was happening in by force. [public order policing] members used water cannons. I can confirm rubber bullets were not used."
The EFF had claimed that police disrupted peaceful protesters at the unveiling of the Zuma statue in Groot Marico on Thursday.
Party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said police used rubber bullets, water cannons and assaulted protesters.
"The North West government has opted to use public funds to construct a statue of Zuma who is the most immoral, corrupt and embarrassing president democratic South Africa has ever known. We reject this statue as a monument of corruption and it must be added to all the statues that must fall."
Zuma attended the event that marked the launch of the Groot Marico Heritage Site and Liberation Heritage Route of Bokone Bophirima near Zeerust, in the North West.
Zuma on Wednesday recalled the day in 1963 when he, along with 51 others were arrested by the apartheid security branch police.
