Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Charges Against The Police (Not)

I visited the Cape Town Central police station today, to discuss possible charges against ten police officers, and where applicable to lay charges -- in connection with events which unfolded following my ministry on the Atlantic (and continued almost to the present). I think that, realistically, there were several valid charges in the mix. But as soon as the police found out what I was there for (I was now the first in the queue), they stopped me and separated me out from the queue, then attended to about fifty people (over hours) while they stonewalled me. After one, two, three, nearly four hours of serious stonewalling, a warrant officer engaged with me abruptly, but refused to hear out the first paragraph of the information that I had. I said, on this basis we can't go on. I called my attorney. He said, with a relaxed voice, tosh and nonsense, of course they must consider charges against officers -- get an officer to call me. Finally a police captain, in another part of the building, called up my attorney, and promised to read the information and assess. I called my attorney again afterwards, to make sure that I had heard him right. Yes of course, he said. OBSERVATION: What I experienced today, I think, comes close to a complete breakdown of police procedure. I have had a lot to do with the South African police through ministry, and this is a first. But it is supposedly "old hat" to some. The South African Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation states: "In some police stations, those wishing to lodge complaints against officers are discouraged by one or other means, e.g. threats, having to wait a long time" [abridged]. That includes locking the bathroom and not providing the key.
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POSTSCRIPT: Within a day, I received more than a dozen messages from police, all indicating that the above was receiving attention. I trust that it is, and efficiently now.

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