Police officers who did nothing to stop the recent looting of spaza shops in Cape Town should face action, community safety MEC Dan Plato said on Wednesday.
He said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) should find out why certain officers appeared to do nothing as shops were looted in Valhalla Park on Tuesday.
“If police did indeed stand by and do nothing more than watch while thugs damaged property and stole groceries, I want to see these policemen and women charged with negligence,” Plato said.
“Police are meant to prevent and combat crime, maintain public order and protect and secure the inhabitants of our province – it would appear that they failed to do so on Tuesday.”
According to the Cape Argus, scores of Somali businessmen fled Valhalla Park after their shops were looted.
Groups of up to 100 people, some including children, ransacked stores. Three shops were petrol-bombed and a policeman was hit on the head with a brick.
Plato said he had requested photos from different media bodies, which clearly showed the identity of police officers, and would attach this to his letter to the IPID.
He would also ask Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer whether any arrests were made for looting, and why it appeared that police officers took no action. – Sapa
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