Ngobese-Zuma says police misleading public about court order breach
On Tuesday, 12 people were injured after police used stunt grenades and rubber bullets.
March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma is alleging that the police have been dishonest with the public. Ngobese-Zuma contends that a police statement claiming they breached a court order on Tuesday is inaccurate. On Tuesday, twelve members of the March and March were hurt when police deployed rubber bullets at protesters. Police officials stated in a note that the demonstrators were carrying harmful weapons and disregarded a prior court order not to march after 3 pm.
A number of individuals are lodging outside the Home Affairs refugee reception centre in Durban’s Che Guevara Road, refusing to move until the government addresses their demands. The group is opposed to undocumented foreign nationals obtaining documentation and is urging the government to cease asylum and refugee applications. They argue that many South Africans are unemployed and impoverished and should be prioritized.
The reception centre has been deserted for many months, and the foreign nationals who camped outside were moved to Lindela in Gauteng. On Tuesday, twelve people were hurt when police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to scatter the crowd. March and March leaders insist that police should not have used force against their members.
Ngobese-Zuma says, “They were not marching, they were just walking. On top of that, then they start shooting at people and issue a statement that was absolutely false that claims that people were violent and that they had sticks and they were trying to contravene the court order. And there is nowhere in those videos that even show that people were marching.”
Police insist that the protesters were marching and were in breach of a court order. “We don’t want to go tit for tat with what March and March are saying and we are police officers and we are mandated by law to enforce law. Clearly if there is any disorder police must act…we have a duty to tell the truth and if somebody is disputing our facts, they must bring their facts and they are free to go to the IPID or open the case.” says police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
Police are probing a potential violation of the interim court order and assault on police officers. No arrests have been made.
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