DURBAN - The conduct of the police in KwaZulu-Natal came under scrutiny as several witnesses told the Moerane Commission they did not trust the men and women in blue.
“The police dance to the tune of the paymaster and they have no qualms about shooting a member of the public to protect the interests of the politicians,” said Sbu Zikode, president of Abahlai BaseMjondolo.
He was speaking to the Sunday Tribune on the sidelines of the commission where he was called to testify.
Zikode spoke about numerous attacks on Abahlali, alleging some were perpetrated by the police.
“Nqobile Nzuza was shot from behind by a policeman during a community protest in 2013. She was a 17-year old scholar and posed no threat because she was fleeing,” he told the commission.
He pleaded with the commission to make a recommendation forcing local police to relinquish investigations of political violence to units from the national office.
“There is too much political interference on how the police do their work so that’s why other cases have not been attended to,” Zikode said.
Independent social justice activist Vanessa Burger alleged that the police colluded with criminals who perpetuated violence at the infamous Glebelands Hostel in uMlazi.
“There is no will from government or the police to deal with violence in Glebelands 89 people have been killed since 2014 but there hasn’t been a single conviction,” said Burger during her testimony.
She further alleged that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in the province was dysfunctional, incompetent and corrupt and was a “stumbling block” in getting to the root cause of violence in the province and at the hostel.
This sentiment was echoed by a former Glebelands resident who told the commission of a rogue police officer who lives in a hostel.
“Most of the killing orders come from him and he is also the one who takes the money collected from the residents and uses it to replenish weapons and ammunition because some are taken away during raids,” said the witness, who could not be named for fear of his safety.
KZN police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said there were numerous investigations under way, including some of the matters that were raised during the commission.
Ipid national spokesperson Moses Dlamini also disputed Burger’s allegations, saying the organisation had tried to get assistance from her on some of the matters she alluded to but she was not helpful.
“Burger had also failed to provide Ipid with evidence allegedly implicating a policeman being involved in the supply of weapons to 'warring factions' at the hostel and no information or response to the requests was ever received,” he added.
The parliamentary portfolio committee on police instructed the SAPS and Ipid to respond to the commission on allegations about the involvement in the political violence.