Consider all sides - Walter Bennett
take Khumalo’s motion to the PM, where police were regulated.
The MP, when moving the motion, stated that MPs, not so long ago, were making submissions on the Speech from the Throne delivered during the official opening of the 5th session of the 11th Parliament, where His Majesty King III called for the silencing of guns.
The legislator said it was disheartening to learn that hardly a few days after the King’s speech; a civilian was shot, reportedly by the police at Hosea Inkhundla on Tuesday.
Bennett weighed in on the matter and stated that he was not challenging deliberations from the House of Parliament, but was making a personal submission as a citizen of the country that an enquiry needed to be done to ascertain all sides of the shooting incident.
He applauded the parliamentarians for finally speaking up against the violence and for initiating the ‘Operation Alibuye’, which seeks to normalise the situation and encourage peace.
“Having praised them for the call to restore peace in the country, one needs to also state that the issue of the shooting in Hosea should be viewed from all angles. I am not in any way trying to pour water to a discussion that happened inside the House and I respect the MPs and their views, but I think this issue should be considered from all angles before pointing fingers to the police. The police were called there to maintain law and order and it is unfortunate that the situation turned rowdy. The fact that the police were called should be proof enough that something was wrong and peacekeeping was necessary, so it is important to first find out what happened before the police were called,” he said.
Bennett reiterated that by recognising His Majesty’s speech, MP Khumalo and the House of Assembly were displaying their oath to office. He stated that the MPs had oversight on the operations of government and it was normal for them to question what happened in Hosea.
RESPONSIBILITY
The businessman said such a responsibility for the MPs come with a need to verify all information received before making any submission in the House.
“We all know what the King was referring to when he called for the silencing of guns. He was directing the call to anyone who was involved in violence no matter which side the person is on. It remains a problem then to note that some people think it was in reference to one side. I am in no way defending police brutality or condoning the shooting, but I am saying let us consider the situation on its real sense as compared to making speculations and insinuations before a proper enquiry. There is a need for a comprehensive report from the ministers in charge and that is what I am calling for,” said Bennett.
He mentioned that the comprehensive report would assist in reaching an informed conclusion before insinuating that the police were trigger happy on the day. He made reference to incidents of Mozambican national Zavale and the Thabani Nkomonye case and said police were compromised in their actions and inquiries were instituted.
Bennett said he was sympathetic to the situation of the people of Hosea and understood their frustration since their MP was incarcerated. He said the people were aggrieved and the EBC could have handled the situation differently, but the violence that erupted was not justifiable. He said Hosea indvuna yenkhundla made a candid observation that EBC officials should have explained the issues around the ‘whereabouts’ of the MP.
Hosea has been one of the key areas in the recent political agitation acts in the country. Schools in the area were burnt down and political violence has been at the highest in the area.