Question NW2785 to the Minister of Police

Reply:

1. Response is as follows:

• KILLINGS

This office agrees that a number of people have been killed in Glebelands Hostel, there are 21 people who have been killed in the past 14 months from June 2014 to July 2015.

• POLICE CORRUPTION

No one has come up with any evidence with regard to Police corruption. We encourage anyone with evidence to come with such evidence so that corrupt members will be brought to book.

• SALES OF HOSTEL BEDS

This is the domain of Ethekwini Municipality.

• GANGSTERISM

This office is not aware of any gangsterism at Glebelands Hostel. There was a block chairpersons committee that was existing and later a group opposing block chairpersons was formed. Both of these structures have since been dissolved.

• POLICE COLLUDING WITH HOSTEL THUGS

This office is not aware of any policemen who are colluding with the thugs. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward with such information.

• POLICE SHARING ROOMS WITH HITMAN

This office is not aware of any police members who share rooms with hitman at the hostel. We are aware that there are SAPS, SANDF and Metro Police members who reside in the hostel.

• DEPARTMENT LEAVING THE SITUATION TO ESCALATE

The SAPS did not leave the situation to escalate. Additional personnel were deployed to the hostel on a 24 hours basis. Different police Units, (POP) Public Order Police, (TRT) Tactical Response Team, Visible Policing, Crime Intelligence and Metro Police Intelligence led Crime Prevention Operations are conducted including Operation Field/ reclaim (where the army was also involved) are conducted at Glebelands Hostel.

The issues of environmental design, such as:-

- Lack of access control,

- No fencing or broken fence in some parts of the Hostel,

- No lighting or insufficient lighting outside the hostel blocks, on the street and in open places and in the passages inside the blocks, and the lack of CCTV cameras,

were identified as some of the crime generators at the Hostel. Ethekwini Municipality have since come on board to address the above mention environmental design issues. An integrated Project Plan was developed. The SAPS, Metro Police, Ethekwini Municipality and the Department of Community Safety and Liaison are working together to implement the plan. There is a noticeable good progress.

2.  The police are doing their best to maintain peace and stability at the hostel and do not favour any faction. The police always perform their duties professionally and impartially.

3. Anyone with information or evidence of any police involvement in corruption is encouraged to come forward with the information so that those police members will be brought to book. At this stage no one has ever come up with any information or evidence.

4.  This certain person was arrested together with (2) two other persons on Umlazi Cas 638/4/214, Attempted Murder. They appeared at Umlazi Court on 2015-07-07 and he was acquitted.

  The remaining co-accused appeared at Umlazi Court on 2015-08-03; they were found not guilty and were discharged. He (the said person) is not directly implicated in any of the other reported cases at this stage. His rooms have also been raided for firearms several times with negative results.

 

 

Signed MAJOR GENERAL

ACTING DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER: VISIBLE POLICING

MM MOTLHALA

Date: 4 August 2015

Reply to question 2785 recommended

Signed LIEUTENANT GENERAL

DEPUTY NATIONAL COMMISSIONER: POLICING

KJ SITOLE (SOE)

Date: 4 August 2015

Agree with reply to question 2785

Signed GENERAL

NATIONAL COMMISSIONER: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE

MV PHIYEGA

Date: 5 August 2015

Reply to question 2785 approved/not approved

MINISTER OF POLICE

NPT NHLEKO, MP

Date: