The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) condemns the brutal smash-and-grab attack on three Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of Parliament who were conducting essential police oversight work in Philippi on Tuesday afternoon.
No public representative, regardless of party affiliation, should ever have to fear for their life while fulfilling their parliamentary duties to hold our safety and security services accountable. Attacks like these, that even occur in broad daylight, have been on the rise, seem to be the norm on well-traveled intersections, some that are known to be under SAPS surveillance and CCTV coverage.
We are hopeful that the perpetrators will face the full might of the law and we wish those Members of Parliament who were wounded a speedy recovery.
The ACDP calls for the deployment of additional SAPS patrols and visible foot-and-vehicle-based policing in Philippi and other high-crime precincts. All CCTV installations in these areas must be fully operational, monitored in real time, and linked to local SAPS control rooms.
It is the ACDP’s mission to ensure that all our communities have safer streets where people can move freely without fear of crime and violence. Decisive and well-resourced action against crime is long overdue.
