SAPS inquiry disallows vigilante video

Justice Kate O'Regan is chairing the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing in the area. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER

Justice Kate O'Regan is chairing the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing in the area. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER

Published Feb 4, 2014

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Cape Town -The showing of a cellphone video clip of an apparent vigilante attack in Khayelitsha was provisionally disallowed during proceedings at the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The “graphic” clip was to be shared by a former Harare Community Policing Forum (CPF) member, Chumile Sali, during day nine of the hearings, held at Lookout Hill, Khayelitsha.

Sali joined the CPF in 2011, and testified about his experiences as a member.

“It was a bad experience,” he told commissioners.

Sali said when he joined the CPF there were little resources, prompting him to use his own laptop and printers.

“You have a police station with little support for police members, hence the low morale,” he said.

In addition, police vehicles were often parked in the police precinct and not used to patrol the area.

Evidence leader Thembalihle Sidaki tried to show the commission the video clip Sali received depicting a vigilante attack. Norman Arendse, for the police, however objected.

Commission chairwoman, retired Constitutional Court judge Kate O'Regan, agreed with Arendse.

“We won't see it right now. We don't think its appropriate at this stage,” O'Regan said.

Earlier during proceedings, social anthropologist Vicky Igglesden testified about the treatment of foreigners living in Khayelitsha. Adding to an already recurring theme throughout proceedings, Igglesden said police often disregarded the human rights of Khayelitsha-based foreigners, including Somali shop owners.

Foreigners had reported abuse at the hands of officers.

The commission was established by Western Cape premier Helen Zille to probe accusations by civil society formations that police inaction was leading to an increase in mob justice killings in the area.

The commission was delayed for some time when Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa tried to have it scrapped. Mthethwa lost his legal bid to stop the commission in the Constitutional Court in October last year.

Sapa

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