Residents want a fair police force

THE Freedom Front Plus regards eThekwini Municipality’s road show on safety and security, being rolled out across the metro in the wake of the recent violence and looting, as a face-saving exercise to mask the unpreparedness of the ANC-run municipality in anticipating and deterring what occurred.

It should not be necessary for the municipality to ask what can be done to safeguard suburbs from future wanton destruction when the lack of preparedness in terms of riot control equipment, rubber bullets, water cannon and mobility was obvious.

Consequently, the FF+ has little confidence in the distribution of booklets advertising the role of the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS) in combating unrest.

Besides the complex bureaucratic lineage of responsibility within the CSPS, the FF+ notes that the same people who failed to ensure preparedness in confronting the perpetrators of violence and arson a week ago, are in charge of the CSPS.

Adding to that lack of confidence is the government’s stated intention in the Firearms Control Amendment Bill to disregard self-defence as a reason to own a firearm.

The FF+ also takes exception to the contradiction in the values the CSPS claims to hold.

While the CSPS acknowledges the diversity of communities, it contradicts that reality by its reference, repeated five times, to “transformation” of the SAPS.

It is well known that “transformation” is a code term for racial baasskap and as such is at odds with the constitutional principle of non-racialism.

After 27 years, ratepayers have seen only a decline in policing along with most other government functions as a result of “transformation”.

What communities want is a proficient police service devoid of political ideology and complex command organograms which barely mention the role of community police forums despite their crucial role in defending several suburbs from looters and arsonists.

DUNCAN DU BOIS | Bluff