Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:
MR VELAPHI NDLOVU MP
IFP SPOKESPERSON ON SAFETY AND SECURITY

31st July, 2007

The shocking case of a 62-year-old Table View woman, Carol-Anne Porter, who was apparently manhandled and mistreated by Western Cape Police over the weekend, must be investigated immediately.

The Inkatha Freedom Party believes that this was not an isolated incident and definitely not a problem that will only be found in the Western Cape.

The IFP would therefore like to call on all members of the public to come forward if they have similar stories to tell.

The IFP believes that cases should be made against the police officers in question and it must then be investigated by the Independent Complaints Directorate or the South African Human Rights Commission.

The aim of the Independent Complaints Directorate is to consider complaints of misconduct and criminality allegedly committed by members of the South African Police Service and Municipal Police Services, and to propose reforms to reduce the incidence of the behaviour that gives rise to such complaints.

The public should be aware of these tools at their disposal and should come forward and report maltreatment and violence against them.

The abuse of power by police officers can not be tolerated as it amounts to human rights violations and there should be no place for such actions within the South African Police Service. It should be condemned in the strongest possible way.



FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mr Velaphi Ndlovu MP: 083 625 0803
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470