Worth every life-saving cent

MAYOR Zandile Gumede is clearly not a woman you mess with. Earlier this year she called for Durban to have its own military base and now the city has decided to buy four armoured vehicles. They are believed to be Casspirs, a vehicle that has an interesting history.

It is a wholly South African-designed vehicle and was named after the organisations that developed it – the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the then South African Police (SAP).

What made the vehicle unique was its V-shaped hull which was able to deflect the blast energy from a mine. It also had a high-ground clearance which meant the crew were fairly safe in the event of a blast.

The vehicle became associated with the repression of the apartheid regime and was deployed in Namibia and South Africa to counter protests.

However, after democracy, the Casspir found a new role: that of a peacekeeping vehicle.

It has been used worldwide by more than 20 countries including the US and has seen action in, among others Afghanistan and Iraq. Put simply, this is a weapon of war.

Critics have rightfully questioned whether Durban needs such a vehicle to take on protesters generally armed with stones and petrol bombs. The answer is an unequivocal yes.

Everybody has the right to protest. It is enshrined in our constitution. But the clause is more specific and calls for “peaceful and unarmed” protests.

All too often this is not the case. Protesters turn violent and destroy infrastructure. They also attack the police.

Somebody’s son or father in a blue uniform comes under attack merely because it is his job to prevent lawlessness.

The vehicles the metro police use do not afford them any protection in these cases. It therefore makes sense for the city to invest in armoured vehicles. Yes, it comes at price – almost R20 million to be precise. It’s a small price to pay when you are a policeman whose life is under threat.

Anyone who disagrees should volunteer to do crowd control themselves.