Minister Fritz welcomes 11 protest related arrests in Delft

The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, welcomes the arrests of eleven suspects on Tuesday night in relation to ongoing violent protest action. Minister Fritz further calls on residents to adhere to the law and report related criminal activity.

SAPS has reported that the arrests were made following reports of a break-in, looting and damage to property on Delft Main Road. The eleven suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property, burglary and looting a liquor store after they were found inside the store with liquor. An ATM in the area was also damaged. The suspects are expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s court.

Minister Fritz said, “During tomorrow’s Western Cape Government Cabinet meeting, the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata will be requested to provide an update on SAPS’ response to the ongoing violent protest action. It is essential that the guilty parties involved in the violent protests be brought to book. While everyone has a right to protest, nobody has the right threaten the lives and livelihoods of others.”

Minister Fritz continued, “It is evident that a smaller group of inciters are leading these protests and pretending to speak for the masses. In doing so, they are preying on the plight of the most vulnerable in society who will suffer the infrastructure and services lost due to protest action.”

The Provincial SAPS have reinforced deployments with crowd control to restore calm amidst the destruction of property, barricading of roads, land invasions, looting of a liquor store and stone throwing. Public Order Police and SAPS station officials were active in Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Kraaifontein, Delft, Joe Slovo and Laingsville.

Minister Fritz said, “I call on SAPS and the SANDF to play a more proactive role in responding to these attacks. In addition, I call on residents to abide by the law. Attacks on state property and should be treated with the utmost seriousness.”

The Chairperson of the Khayeltisha Development Forum, Mr Ndithini Tyhido said, “In principle the Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) supports the demands for descent housing opportunities for all residents. But, as the (KDF) we're vehemently opposed to any form of intimidation, threats, crime, violence, distraction of the community's limited facilities and any form of party-political peddling of the situation either for or against. We call on all community members to unmask and isolate all those who have made themselves guilty of committing crimes against the most vulnerable of our community.”

Minister Fritz added, “I call on anyone with information on the ongoing protest action to come forward and report such to the SAPS. This can be done by visiting your local SAPS station, calling Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or using the “tip-off” function of the MySaps cellphone application.”

Please see English audio clip here: https://clyp.it/dmegi0ec