EMS seeks Metro police intervention
JOBURG – City of Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) had to seek police intervention after they experienced violence, death threats, abusive language and assault when delivering notices to attend disciplinary hearings to disgruntled fighters who went on an illegal strike last year.
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EMS spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi, revealed these shocking incidents following allegations by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that police and Metro police used unnecessary force when they stormed a house in Soweto occupied by an 18-year-girl to deliver a document with no less than five police vehicles packed with heavily armed officers.
DA councillor Michael Sun, who is based in Houghton, said he was incredibly shocked when the incident was reported to him. “It was reported that five or more police vehicles loaded with heavily armed police officers arrived at the house of a Johannesburg Emergency Services Management firefighter,” said Sun.
“The armed police officers apparently were accompanying EMS officials to deliver a disciplinary notice to a firefighter who was not at home at the time, his 18-year-old daughter was at home alone.”
He stated that the manner in which the incident was handled was unacceptable, and the amount of police resources which were used to deliver a document for EMS was unnecessary.
“The firefighter’s traumatised daughter was told by an armed [bulletproof-vested] police officer to sign for the document, despite her explaining that her father was not home… The firefighter complained that even his neighbours were shocked… including an elderly neighbour who was frightened by the large contingent of police officers with radada (machine guns) storming the neighbourhood,” Sun said.
He said Metro police could have employed the services of the sheriff of the court to deliver the document for a small fee if EMS was unable to do it.
However, Mulaudzi said there have been a number of incidents where disgruntled firefighters tried to disrupt essential services to the citizens of the city of Johannesburg. He said, “[Firefighters] have turned to violent tactics, we’re threatened, [receive] death threats and [endure] abusive language.
“One of the officers even lost his life last year while delivering a notice.”
He said that for the sake of the safety of the officers delivering notices, it was deemed proper to seek the services of a mediator.
In this instance, the police were called to act as a mediator when the letter was delivered in an effort to avoid violent situations. “The police were not brought in to intimidate but to mediate during the delivery, there was no harassment, manhandling or any form of intimidation by any official to anyone during that processes,” Mulaudzi concluded.