WATCH: ‘Attack on police is an attack on State’ – Gauteng community safety

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has condemned the recent attack on Saps members by a group of residents in Eden Park, Ekurhuleni, saying an attack on a police officer is an attack on the State.

 A video of the alleged police attack went viral last week, amid allegations the uniformed police officer was “high” or “drunk”.

Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the altercation.

Watch the video of the attack on police officers

Attack on the State

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety, Thebe Khumalo, said the attack on police was unacceptable.

“This unfortunate incident once again exposes the extreme lawlessness that currently prevails in Gauteng and the country at large as an attack on Police officers demonstrates the highest order of undermining the rule of law.

“Any attack on a police officer is tantamount to an attack on the State and the committee urges law enforcement Agencies to move with speed to ensure that those who are responsible for this horrendous crime get to face the full might of the law,” Khumalo said.

Khumalo added they are looking into the allegations against the police officers.

“Allegations are that the police officers were in the area to collect bribes from drug dealers and might have also been highly intoxicated themselves. An allegation which the Committee takes very seriously.” 

ALSO READ: WATCH: Eden Park suspects who attacked ‘high’ cop to be charged with trying to steal a firearm

Investigations

He said the committee had resolved to write to the Provincial Police Commissioner requesting for a report on the incident.

“If these officers are found to be guilty, they should be stripped of their badges and a serious example should be made out of them by sending them to prison for a very long time.

“The committee has overtime noticed a trend in the rise of vicious and senseless crimes in the province, threatening the freedoms of Gauteng residents and that of South Africans at large.

“As a result, the committee will continuously hold law enforcement agencies in the province accountable on these high levels of crime. [The committee] further calls for more stringent measures to be put in place to curb the rising levels of lawlessness in Gauteng,” Khumalo said.

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