Committee on police homes in on eviction

PARLIAMENT’S portfolio committee on police said following numerous letters between themselves and the City, they were left with no option but to initiate a process to summon the City to account on issues of policing around the evictions that took place on July 1.

The committee said its initial invitation was sent to the City on August 13, clearly setting out the scope of interest the committee had on the matter.

Committee chairperson Tina Joemat-Pettersson said the response received on August 19 made it clear that the City would not be taking up the invitation to appear before the committee.

“We are concerned by the flagrant disregard displayed by the City and its mayor, Dan Plato for the oversight function of the portfolio committee on police,” Joemat-Pettersson said.

The July 1 eviction refers to the controversial Khayelitsha eviction of Bulelani Qolani, the man who was dragged out of his shack naked by the City’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit.

Mayor Dan Plato’s spokesperson spokesperson, Lyndon Khan said the mayor’s correspondence with the committee simply reiterated that the City had already accounted to Parliament twice recently on the very issues the police committee wished to discuss.

Khan said it had been proposed that the committee listen to those recordings for a record of the City’s reporting.

“There is nothing more that can be added at this stage. It is further unclear what the committee’s mandate is, if any, with regard to municipal law enforcement and the matters raised. The City understands the committee’s own research report for this particular meeting points out this lack of clarity,” Khan said. |