The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa today commended police for securing a combined 118 years imprisonment on convictions since the beginning of the year, following arrests of perpetrators charged with various criminal acts including murder, damage to property, lawlessness and public violence from January to June this year.
Of the total 118 years imprisonment, the figure resulted from successful prosecution of 15 people. 

The heftiest sentence was handed to one accused in Gauteng, who received a 40 years imprisonment.  During the same period over R40 000 fines issued to these perpetrators, ranging from damage to property to assault.  It needs to be noted that most of the arrests effected were during illegal protests, also targeted foreign nationals and looting of their shops as well destruction of various municipality offices.
During public protests which at times turn violent, many suspects are arrested however the challenge still facing the police is securing successful convictions because in the main, people do not come forward with information or evidence.  The majority of the cases are still being investigated, some are before courts and others were unfortunately withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

“We want to highlight this point and commend our police officers because there has been this wrong misconception that those who are arrested during illegal gatherings and violent protests are never convicted or even walk free after a court appearance.  The statistics above indicate the opposite.  Working together with the National Prosecuting Authority, we are now beginning to see a real sting on those who break the law.  We hope it will send a message out there that whilst we respect the right to protest, we shall not tolerate any lawlessness or anarchy,” stated the Minister.

“We also challenge law abiding citizens to come forward with information in helping trace some of these provocative elements.  As we have seen on many occasions, many protests have been accompanied by serious provocations, intimidations, public violence and even elements of criminality.  As expected, when police arrest the perpetrators at the scene, usually nobody claims responsibility for these actions as such rendering the investigations very difficult, particularly in securing convictions in courts.”
Minister Mthethwa urged police to build on these conviction successes to intensify their stance to act against anyone found to be responsible for violent destructions, intimidation of people and burning of properties during any illegal gathering.   He stated that, in a democratic dispensation, acts of violent destruction and intimidation of innocent people cannot be justified as public protests and that is why police must act harshly against lawlessness.

“Government recognises the democratic rights of any person to express their grievances, whether through a public protest or any other legal gathering as stipulated within the labour laws.  However such rights do not imply that those do not who wish to participate in a strike must be intimidated, beaten and properties destroyed,” added the Minister.
Commenting on the capacity of police to handle public protests, he stated that police are guided by clear policies on how to put in place appropriate, effective operational strategies and systems.  He emphasized that in 2011 the Ministry of Police passed the Public Order Policing policy through which, the SAPS is now standardizing the training of our public order policing unit, as well as enhancing its human and physical resource capacities.  He however stressed that whilst the policy guides police on operational deliverables, protesters’ conduct remains crucial in this regard so that we avert any potential tensions.

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