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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape calls on the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, to make a public announcement on the course of action taken against the police officials who are alleged to have slept through a firearm robbery at the Petrusville Police Station last week.

We welcome the speedy arrest and subsequent court appearances of three suspects yesterday, who according to the police stole one R5 rifle, two shotguns and one Z88 pistol, of which the two shotguns and Z88 pistol was recovered.

There are many alleged irregularities with the behaviour of the on-duty officers on the night in question, including reports that all official police vans were parked at the officers’ homes, leaving them unable to perform safety patrols or to respond to an emergency.

While the law is now dealing with the perpetrators, the public deserves to know how SAPS is dealing with the police officers who were caught napping on the job.

We acknowledge that an internal investigation is underway. However, given the gravity of the situation, Otola needs to show a zero-tolerance approach towards police officers whose actions, whether intentional or not, support the acts of criminals who are terrorizing our communities. Not only is one R5 rifle still at large, posing a threat to citizens but other crime-related emergencies could also have been disregarded on the night in question.

The DA has written a letter to Otola, requesting her to make haste in appropriately dealing with the involved officers and to make sure that they are suspended until investigations have been completed.

At a time when crime in the Northern Cape is at an all-time high, we cannot afford to risk having either negligent or criminal police officers protecting the people of this province. It is citizens who deserve to sleep soundly at night, knowing that SAPS is looking out for their safety, not the other way around.

Issued by Harold McGluwa - Provincial Leader