CAPE TOWN - Despite the alarming number of reports regarding the Phoenix massacre and the events that took place during the unrest in July, suspended national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole on Tuesday was unable to tell the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) how many people lost their lives in the area.
The commissioner, who was testifying virtually, only gave the commission an answer after someone in the same room revealed the statistic.
Sitole denied he was shown the answer, but later admitted it.
Sitole also revealed that since the outbreak of the unrest, which claimed more than 350 lives nationally, he has not visited areas like Phoenix, Amaoti and Bhambayi, which were heavily affected by violence and racial tension.
At least 36 people were killed. Sitole said the SAPS crime intelligence failed to compile enough information before the riots broke to prepare a combat plan.
He said the police’s lack of funding heavily contributed to this.
Before the outbreak of the riots up until the situation appeared to be under control, Sitole said the police had submitted one intelligence report to Police Minister Bheki Cele and President Cyril Ramaphosa, but no relevant information regarding the modus operandi of rioters or anything that operation teams could use was put in the report, Sitole said.
He said the unrest organisers used social media to mobilise and that crime intelligence was unable to monitor or track their movements because of a lack of technological advancements within the department.
He said nine of the 12 instigators who were named as the culprits behind the July unrest were arrested. Three have been identified as instigators.
After deflecting questions from the SAHRC panel, Sitole was backed up against a wall when advocate Smanga Sethene from the commission told him to “stop dribbling like Lionel Messi” and give short precise answers.
Cape Times