THE Congress of the People has called on newly installed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to take full responsibility of the alleged shooting of a 16-year-old by police in Mpumalanga in Standerton.
In a statement for release, Cope national spokesman Dennis Bloem said the party condemned the act. “Congress of the People says the Police Minister Fikile Mbalula must take full responsibility for the death of this innocent boy who was killed during a service delivery protest in the area,” Bloem said.
He placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the minister saying this was a result of Mbalula’s “shoot to kill reckless and irresponsible statement”. He said the statement was a clear instruction to the police to kill. “This clearly shows that the minister doesn’t have any regard for the law and the constitution. The police are supposed to be the protectors of our society and not the killers.”
Bloem said it was a shame that in a democratic country people are still killed for fighting for their rights and marching against corruption. “All the Standerton citizens needed were basic services and to hand over their memorandum of grievances to the authorities, but all they got were hails of bullets from the police,” Bloem said.
