Mbalula says SAPS must shoot people setting up shacks on central line

27 July 2022

The DA in the Western Cape is appalled by Minister Fikile Mbalula’s statement that “SAPS must shoot” people who set up shacks on the rail line. The statement was made at the partial re-opening of the Cape Town Central Line yesterday.

Not only was the re-opening a complete disaster, since the train was delayed and then got stuck between stations, but Mbalula’s reckless instruction to police officers to shoot people on the railway line is nothing short of criminal. Is Mbalula’s idea of solving the issue of destitute and homeless people on the central line to shoot them?

Mbalula's disgusting approach is the direct opposite of that of Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis who announced that he "wanted to shift from a law enforcement-driven approach to a care intervention programme" where the focus will be to assist homeless people with getting off the streets.

This is one of the fundamental differences between die ANC and the DA: Where the ANC doesn't care about people and destroy everything that they touch, the DA cares and where we govern, we implement humane and practical solutions.

The Minister must immediately retract the statement and apologise to the public. He should rather focus on his job and ensure that when he opens railway lines with such fanfare as yesterday, that the trains are actually working properly.

Issued by Tertuis Simmers, DA Provincial Leader, Western Cape, 27 July 2022