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The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Police, Mr Nathi Mthethwa of a policy framework for managing public protests as well as the establishment of a National Public Order Policing unit with the SA Police Service. In its Open Letter to Minister Mthethwa in April 2011 following the killing of Andries Tatane, CASAC drew attention to the lack of capacity by SAPS to police protests by citizens and called upon the SAPS to address the issue of public order policing.

We further welcome an approach to public order policing that is guided and underpinned by the constitutional rights of freedom of association, assemble and expression. Such an approach is necessary to restore public confidence in the SAPS. We trust that sufficient resources and adequate training will be provided to police personnel to ensure that these policy guidelines can be effectively operationalized.