Numsa worried over ‘police brutality’

Numsa General Secretary Irvin Jim. File photo: Steve Lawrence

Numsa General Secretary Irvin Jim. File photo: Steve Lawrence

Published Mar 7, 2013

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Johannesburg - Police brutality reflects an inability to learn from experience, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Thursday.

“Despite the establishment of the Marikana (Farlam) commission of inquiry, and the disturbing stories that are emerging from it, it seems the lessons have not been learned,” said Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim.

Numsa said that concerns were raised about the growing use of force by the police during protests and strikes at the union's recent central committee meeting.

“Time and again we see excessive force...” said Jim.

Numsa wanted its ally the Police Prisons and Civil Rights Union (Popcru) to “massify” political education among the police services and organise unorganised police workers.

“This will put Popcru in the front-line role of transforming our police services as an organ of people's power,” said Jim.

The police have come under criticism over past months after 34 people were killed in a confrontation with police during a strike at Lonmin Platinum in August, and last week after Daveyton taxi driver Mido Macia was filmed being dragged behind a police van. He was later found dead in a police cell. - Sapa

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