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The remilitarisation of the SAPS and the repeated calls to shoot-to-kill led have led to the death of Andries Tatane and many others, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) now treat protestors as the ‘enemy’.

This morning, the SAHRC released the findings of their investigation into the death of Andries Tatane at the hands of the SAPS.

The SAHRC found that the disproportionate and excessive use of force by the police resulted in Tatane’s death and that the police were ill equipped and ill qualified to deal with the Ficksburg protest.

The excessive use of force by the police during public demonstrations has become far too commonplace in South Africa. The DA has long argued that our police service is not trained and equipped appropriately to deal with the potential for violence during mass protests.

The DA therefore welcomes and supports the SAHRC’s recommendation that the SAPS must report to it every six months on measures it has taken to address violent protests.

I will be writing to the Minister of Police today to ask that these reports are also presented to the Portfolio Committee on Police on a bi-annual basis.

The Andries Tatane case is currently before the Ficksburg Magistrates Court and the DA hopes that justice will be served and that those responsible for Tatane’s death will be held responsible.