Pretoria - The African National Congress (ANC) has announced numerous protests across Gauteng today as South African communities experience a spate of mass shootings, gang rapes and incidents of gender-based violence.
“ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe will join the Gauteng provincial secretary, comrade (Thembinkosi) TK Nciza and the Tshwane regional leadership to the Temba police station (in Hammanskraal) to hand over a memorandum dealing with the rising levels of crimes and safety of our communities including raising awareness on growing incidents of GBV, femicide and mass killings,” the ANC said in a media advisory.
In Hammanskraal, the ANC members are scheduled to meet at Jubilee Mall before marching to the Temba police station this morning.
The ANC members are also scheduled to converge at different police stations, including Sunnyside, Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria North, Olievenhoutbosch, Etwatwa, Randfontein, Bekkersdal, Kliptown, Eldorado, and Moroka.
On Wednesday, the ANC joined protests outside the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court, where more than 80 illegal miners, who were arrested following a gang rape of eight young women in West Village, Krugersdorp, were appearing.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Mabe said the governing party could not fold its arms and wanted to send a clear message to criminals.
“It is foreign nationals who are in the country illegally, undocumented, committing horrendous crimes. Look at what happened in Krugersdorp over the weekend. We cannot fold our arms,” said Mabe.
“These chaps are appearing in court (and) we need to be seen putting pressure on the magistrate’s court, on the police – to make sure that they get a sentence that sends a message, even to others that might be tempted to do such things. South Africa is not a playground. We cannot allow our country.”
He said some of the crime shows there are people “clearly undermining the sovereignty of the Republic,” and the law must take its course.
“They will not do it in their own countries. Why do they think that here in South Africa, they can come and just play as they wish? We can’t allow that,” said Mabe.
On Tuesday night, police said at least 46 illegal miners had been arrested, and one was fatally wounded during an intense multi-disciplinary operation carried out by different law enforcement units simultaneously on eight premises in Krugersdorp and Randfontein.
Spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase, said the operation aimed at curtailing illegal mining comprised the Hawks based in West Rand, several SAPS units, including the Airwing and Crime Intelligence, the Gauteng Traffic Police, G4S and Fidelity security, Sibanye Stillwater’s protection services and Eskom officials.
Last week, eight women who were shooting a music video at the mine dump were raped allegedly by armed illegal miners, commonly known as zama zamas.
Hundreds of zama zamas have since been arrested, but police have yet to positively link them to the rape.
According to reports, one of the victims was raped by at least 10 men.
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