Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Acting police chief stands by his officers in Tshwane riots
ACTING national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane is satisfied with the police response to violence in most townships in Tshwane this week.
Violent protests engulfed Hammanskraal, GaRankuwa, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Mabopane and Soshanguve townships after the announcement former cabinet member Thoko Didiza was the City of Tshwane’s mayoral candidate for local government elections.
Some residents are resolute on wanting a second term for current mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa.
The violence involved a looting frenzy that saw many foreign-owned shops and shopping centres in Soshanguve and Mabopane shut as shops were robbed and damaged.
Phahlane, addressing the media at Loate Police Station in Mabopane yesterday, said th e response of police had been adequate given the circumstances.
“This was an implosion that we didn’t anticipate.
“But having realised what happened, we responded accordingly,” he said.
Asked whether there were enough public order policing officers on the ground to contain the situation, Phahlane said the police had sufficient officers, but also conceded numbers needed to be increased.
“There can never be enough officers. But our organisation is a growing organisation.
“It’s an organisation confronted with a lot of challenges, and government has committed resources to us,” he said.
Earlier yesterday law enforcement officers arrested 24 people in Mabopane and Soshanguve to try to retrieve stolen items.
“The number might increase, pending investigations,” he said. “In some houses we found stolen goods but there was no one there to arrest.”
Meanwhile, earlier yesterday ANC supporters belted out songs of praise to welcome Didiza to Bloed Street Mall in Pretoria.
She was accompanied by Premier David Makhura and other ANC top brass, all handing out pamphlets.
ANC Tshwane deputy chairman Mapiti Matsena said Didiza’s public appearance was in line with the ANC’s election campaign of interacting with people from various areas of the city.
They would visit churches tomorrow.
Makhura added: “This is only the beginning. We started in the inner city and we will be going everywhere in Tshwane. We are taking Comrade Didiza everywhere.”