City has ‘no footage’ of shooting of officer
MAYCO member for safety and security JP Smith said the City has no CCTV footage of the actual incident that claimed the life of police officer Thando Sigcu, 38, at the Foreshore.
Smith’s response comes in the wake of a scathing attack by Police Minister Bheki Cele on the City during the memorial service of Sigcu at St Andrews Church in Green Point on Thursday. Sigcu was killed two weeks ago while trying to carry out an arrest. Two law enforcement officers stopped at the scene, shots were fired and Sigcu was killed.
Cele slammed the City and said he was taken aback by investigators saying they could not get the footage and added he hoped this was not non-co-operation and a cover-up from the City. The minister was also perturbed by the fact that the law enforcement officer was not taken in for bail and that no statement was taken.
Smith said: “The City indicated to the SAPS on the night that we have no CCTV footage of the incident, only what transpired after. We have no formal request from the investigating officer to view the footage, but will supply it for full transparency.
“The statement by Minister Cele about the City is, accordingly, irresponsible and not factually correct.”
He added: “The City wishes to point out, at the outset, it undertook to co-operate with the Hawks with regard to the investigation and that the City will continue to do so.
“The City’s representatives and the attorneys acting for the law enforcement officer implicated in the shooting have been in constant contact with the Hawks investigating team in regard to the criminal investigation.”
Smith also indicated that information had been provided to the Hawks by the City and further information and evidential material would be made available by the City to the Hawks for the purposes of the investigation.
Since the incident, the law enforcement officer has not been formally charged or taken to court.
Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale has indicated that the investigators were obtaining statements with the instructions of the director of public prosecutions.