Popcru urges cops to use their guns

Published Nov 18, 2015

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Johannesburg - More than two hundred people marching against police killings on Wednesday delivered their first memorandum to the Schreiner Chambers, where it was received by the Department of Justice.

Police and Prison Civil Rights Union (Popcru) president, Nkosinathi Mabhida said: “We are here today at the Gauteng Justice [Department] because we have seen these people who sit in these offices sometimes making wrong decisions.”

Mabhida said that laws in the country were simple and that bail wasn’t given to people who deserved it. He said Popcru members were upset about what happened in Krugersdorp last week.

The comments where in apparent reference to the arrest of four Krugersdorp police officers who have been charged in connection with the killing of a suspected armed robber last month.

The incident came to light after a video surfaced, which shows the suspect Khulekani Mpanza being shot dead while lying on the ground. Mpanza had been shot and wounded during a chase after he allegedly opened fire on the police. He had allegedly committed an armed robbery.

Last week three police officers denied bail and charged with Mpanza’s murder and defeating the ends of justice at the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court. One of the accused police officers was earlier cleared on the murder charge and granted R5 000 bail on November 11. She faces a charge of defeating the ends of justice.

Mabhida said: “Many police were killed, but now the country is against it when police shoot criminals. We don’t see any reasoning by the judge not to give those members bail”.

“If you are an officer use your guns and rather be in jail than six feet underground. We have seen government and the police minister don’t protect us and are not interested in our safety,” he said.

Mabida stated that on Friday there would be a national march where departments and the union buildings would receive their memorandums.

“We will mourn everyday that a police officer is killed. We will go to police stations and not work till something is done,” he added.

A representative of the Department of Justice, Daisy Mgomezulu, signed the memorandum and said: “Your memorandum states that we should reply and we will sit with our team and bosses and get back to you.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the memorandum was read and it stated that they wanted police killings to be prioritised, and for the law to be amended in order for police to be able to defend themselves because they have human rights, as well as maximum sentences and no bail to be given to suspects of police killings.

Popcru has given the Department of Justice 14 days to respond to the memorandum.

Earlier on Wednesday, Popcru members dressed in their red shirts gathered at the Mary Fitzgerald Square ahead of a march against the killing of their colleagues. Police member have said they would like more support from the government and communities to do their jobs.

Popcru said they expected 2 000 members to join them on Wednesday’s march.

African News Agency

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