AMANZIMTOTI SAPS, together with Amanzimtoti Branch Court, conducted a community dialogue on vigilantism recently.
Prosecutor Nqobile Mathabela, interpreter Zama Nsthangase and Sergeant Zanele Shoba, distributed pamphlets to people visiting the court, for whatever reason, to educate them on the dangers of taking the law into their own hands when they feel powerless. They shouldn’t believe that perpetrators deserve harsher punishment for their crimes and resort to vigilantism as a response.
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According to Amanzimtoti Community Policing Forum public relations officer, Estelle van Eeden, vigilantism is defined as a ‘premeditated act of force or threatened force’ by autonomous citizens that takes place outside of formal institutions.
Amanzimtoti SAPS communications officer, Captain van der Spuy, agreed and added that ‘the increasing crime rate in our community has resulted in stimulating the community to decide to take the law into their own hands, which can lead to members of the community being arrested’.
“The danger of citizens taking the law into their own hands is that vigilantism is prone to opportunism and can generate further violence, corruption and social othering. Often innocent people are targeted and killed, and lives are destroyed. Vigilantes may thus find themselves engaging in criminal activity and on the wrong side of the law,” she said.
She added that it is critical to educate the community regarding these issues, ensuring they understand how to report matters to the police to ensure perpetrators of crime are brought to book and that victims receive support and justice.
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“Acts of vigilantism cannot be tolerated by the police. The SAPS will make sure that such cases are properly investigated and that those involved will be charged accordingly,” said Van der Spuy.
The SAPS would like to appeal to the community to report those suspected of being involved in criminal activities to the police and not take the law into their own hands.
Crimes or suspicious criminal activity may be reported anonymously to Crime Stop on 10111 or by using the MySaps mobile app.
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