The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has strongly condemned the attack on and burning of a satellite police station in Alra Park, Nigel in Gauteng Province early on the morning of 22 March 2019.
A group of protesting community tried to illegally occupy about 600 Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses in Mackenzieville. The houses were still to be supplied with water and electricity. They barricaded the road to the house and while SAPS members were policing protesters another group allegedly petrol bombed the Alra Park satellite station.
The criminal actions of those protesters have done nothing more than disadvantage the entire community of an essential service of policing.
“I am urging the discontented community members, especially community leaders, to come together and work towards resolving their dissatisfaction through consultation and negotiations instead of violence. Vandalising and burning State property should be condemned by all sectors of society”, said General Sitole.
The South African Police Service’s Public Order Police have been deployed to the area and patrols have been increased in an effort to ensure that there is no further violence associated with these ongoing protest actions. All citizens of this country have a democratic right to protest but they must do so responsibly within the confines of the law and without damaging any property.
“I am urging all members of the Alra Park Community and surrounding areas to remain calm and cooperate with police. In the meantime I have directed that those who are responsible for setting the Alra Park satellite police station alight must be identified and brought to book as soon as possible”, added General Sitole.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
