Deputy President David Mabuza has criticised the South African Police Service (SAPS) for not reacting preemptively in Soweto, where locals have been looting shops owned by foreign nationals.
Mabuza was answering oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, on among others, how the township economy can contribute to growing investment.
Answering a question from Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Solly Malatsi, Mabuza said; “I think what the last 24 hours have shown is that the environment in townships is volatile; therefore it is not suitable for investment… this morning (Thursday) Deputy Minister of Police admitted they couldn’t foresee what happened.”
Mabuza was critical of SAPS. “I don’t think there should be any excuse to say they couldn’t anticipate that thing from happening… I think they should have capacity, that is why they have crime intelligence. We should insist on the police to do what they are supposed to do. We can’t have ‘no-go areas’. We can’t accept that townships are violent, it can’t be.”
He also condemned the looting of foreign owned shops. “The gripe was these shops sell expired goods… I ask myself – if expired, why looting and taking into home? It means the goods are not expired. It is just a way of deceiving all of us. They are looting… essence is to loot.”
Various members from the opposition wanted to know what government is doing to cushion the consumer from the ever increasing cost of living.
Mabuza says interventions such as reconfiguring government are under way.
“We need to scale down public service, as we look at the Compensation bill – it can’t be sustained going forward, it is important to look at stringent matters of belt tightening because conditions warrant it.”
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