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Today law enforcement officials at OR Tambo International Airport refused to cooperate with DA Team One South Africa Immigration spokesperson, Jacques Julius MP, and Gauteng Provincial Legislature member for Community Safety, Michele Clarke MPL, as they attempted to conduct an oversight inspection of the SAPS office at OR Tambo.

"No preparations were made for the oversight inspection and they were given the run-around. It is really unfortunate. As public representative, it is our constitutional obligation to make sure that SAPS is held accountable. Today, again we were barred from doing our constitutional duty”, says Julius.

The DA had visited the airport last week Friday and agreed to return this week to allow the authorities to prepare to engage the DA officials. Upon returning today, however, even with advance notice of the parties who would be present and the purpose of the visit, the DA was once again met with stonewalling.

The airport sees drugs worth millions of rands smuggled through every year. While drug-related cases at OR Tambo have decreased from a peaked of 704 cases in 2009 to just 77 this year, cases in the neighbouring community of Kempton Park have increased from 121 in 2009 to 458 this year.

These numbers clearly suggest that the failure of security measures at OR Tambo International Airport, which is fueled by collusion between corrupt officials and criminal syndicates, is resulting in an exponential increase in the amount of drugs making their way into our communities.

“At OR Tambo we also know from a previous oversight visit that they are operating at only about 50% capacity in terms of vacancies, which is horrendous given that it's one of the biggest airports not only in South Africa but a hub for the entire continent.

“I believe we were blocked from conducting oversight here today because the SAPS here has something to hide,” says Julius.

It is worrisome that last week KZN’s Acting Police Commissioner issued a circular instructing SAPS in the province to ban the DA from conducting oversight in the province.

It seems as if this circular may also have reached Gauteng.

“We will not stand for it. We will return to the airport next week and every week thereafter until such time as the South African Police Service demonstrates a proper respect for our Constitution and the Rule of Law,” says Julius.

The DA will not stop fighting until all South Africans live free from the toxic grip of illicit drugs. This requires an honest and professional police service.

Issued by DA