Cape universities call for SAPS inquiry
2013-01-22 17:15
Cape Town - Probing the state of policing in Khayelitsha
is the first step in tackling high levels of crime in the area, the
Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch said on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, Stellenbosch Rector and Vice Chancellor
Russel Botman and his Cape Town counterpart Max Price said SAPS had a duty to
protect the public.
They said that given the unabated levels of violence and
residents' dissatisfaction with the standards of policing, there was clearly a
need for an integrated solution to the perceived lack of policing.
"As a first step, it is imperative that the state of
policing in Khayelitsha be impartially and independently investigated, and that
recommendations of this investigation be promptly implemented," they said.
"It is essential that this investigation be supported
by all levels of government, and be based on sound constitutional
principles."
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille established the
Khayelitsha commission of inquiry in August, following a spate of vigilante
killings.
The commission was to have completed its work and handed
in a completed report by the end of February.
However, its activities were put on hold pending legal
action by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who applied for an urgent interdict
against its establishment.
Last year, Mthethwa argued that Zille's decision to
appoint the commission would affect the independence of the SAPS.
His application was dismissed by the Western Cape High
Court last week.
Mthethwa's legal team has yet to announce whether it will
uphold or appeal the ruling.
The commission is in a state of suspension, with an
announcement on its next move expected sometime this week.
Botman and Price said they were compelled to comment on
the matter, since violence had an impact on people's development.
"As universities, we are committed to the
development of individuals, through knowledge, to their fullest potential.
Violence, its effects and the fear of violence are an enormous hindrance to
human development."
They said the investigation should aim for a community
free of violence and crime, a police service that acted in accordance with the
Constitution and the law, and a government which punished corruption.
- SAPA
