POLITICS

Announcement can possibly cause a second Marikana incident - AfriForum

Organisation says acting Police Commissioner has shown improvement and Nhleko must not impede progress with release of police report

Announcement can possibly cause a second Marikana incident

15 August 2016

AfriForum warns that, if Nathi Nhleko, Police Minister, awakens transformation once more during today’s release of the transformation report of the South African Police Service (SAPS) – where officers are promoted and appointed without taking merit into account – the Marikana chain of events from four years ago could be repeated.

The release of this report was encouraged by the Farlam Commission after the Marikana-massacre.

According to Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety, incompetent leadership and poor decision making within the SAPS brought about the events at Marikana. “The suspended National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega, and the former Police Commissioner in the North West, Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo, were not appointed or promoted according to merit. Mbombo only had a year’s operational experience and her judgement could thus not be of value during the Marikana incident, yet she was at the helm of North West.”

Cameron proceeded to state that the police, under the new leadership of Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane, acting Police Commissioner, has already shown improvement and that Nhleko must not impede this progress with the release of this police report.

Issued by Ian Cameron, Head, Community Safety, AfriForum, 15 August 2016