Collen Malatji, chairman of the ANC Youth League. Photo: @Collen_Malatji3/X
ANC Youth League president Coren Malatsi has slammed the South African Police Service, accusing some officers of incompetence and of colluding with criminals.
Addressing residents of Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, on Wednesday after a group of youth marched to the local police station to protest crime, Maratzi said police were criminals in uniform.
Speaking in the presence of Police Minister Bheki Cele and National Police Commissioner Fanny Masemola, he said local police officers were unable to effectively tackle crime because they were friends with criminals. Ta.
The youth federation handed out a memorandum of demands during the demonstration, following the recent killing of five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane by hijackers in front of his home.
Speaking outside the police station, Maratzi said all Soshanguve police officers know is to eat, work with criminals and demand a paycheck.
“We called on Minister Bheki Cele to see these criminals in uniform. Our young people are ready to work and protect their communities, so we need to see these criminals in uniform. I want to ask them to take their clothes off,” he said. “We will not allow criminals to wear our uniforms to protect our residents. Young people must take charge of their communities.”
Opposition parties have previously accused Cele of incompetence and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to sack him.
On Saturday, the Democratic Alliance said Cele had shelved the release of the fourth quarter's crime statistics over what she called “a blatant attempt to avoid embarrassment ahead of the May 29 election and the unacceptable politicization of statistics that are in the public interest.” accused of doing so.
In 2023, Pretoria ranked first among African cities in the crime index, with approximately 82 index points. The five most dangerous regions on the continent were all in South African cities.
Maratji said Wednesday that police have little training and are unfit for the job.
“Our mothers are having a hard time at home, drugs are on the streets, children are being killed, women are being raped, robberies are at an all-time high. , they just feel at home here at the police station,” he said. He said.
“There can’t be a high rate of youth unemployment in South Africa. We have lazy police who just want to eat greasy cake and sleep in their offices, and when they open a case they ask if the police station is theirs. Because they act like “their families.” I heard that if you commit a crime here, you will be interrogated as if you were the culprit. ”
ANC national executive committee member Mdu Manana, who took part in the demonstration, said the youth league was not protesting against the ruling party.
“This is not a march against the ANC, this is a march against crime and all we can do is ask the police to come and protect us from the criminals who are killing us every day.” said Manana.
Mr Masemola said police were in the process of arresting criminals linked to violent crimes in the area, and since May 9, they had arrested 20 people in connection with 29 crimes.
He assured residents that police were going to clear Soshanguve.
Cele said police authorities are looking to strengthen their selection process to ensure they have the right people in the field, and are looking for applicants who want to serve the public, not just people looking for a job.
“If you want a job, go to Coca-Cola or Toyota. Police is a service industry. If you want to come here and serve, you have to like it here. This is not a place for desperate people to go. ” he said.
