WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-04-17 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
With the firm support of ANC president Jacob Zuma, Deputy Safety and Security Minister Susan Shabangu has stuck to her guns, refusing to apologise for her “shoot-to-kill” statement.
Shabangu on Wednesday told residents of Lwandle township, near Cape Town, she wasn’t sorry about her comments last week when she said police should “shoot the bastards” if they were in danger.
“We can’t have a country run by a few individuals who want to turn this country into anarchy.
“Police are given guns to use them. Those are not toy guns. If you have a toy gun and you point a toy gun at a police… the police won’t know it’s a toy gun and you will die. So, don’t play with fire,” Shabangu said to thunderous applause from the community.
| ‘Don’t play with fire’ |
She insisted that the government would not allow South Africa to be held to ransom by criminals who instilled fear in communities.
The law made it clear that police had a duty to protect their lives and those of law-abiding citizens if threatened by criminals.
“Criminals who are challenging law-abiding citizens, criminals who are challenging police, who are pointing guns at police… police must not be apologetic, they must shoot them.”
If the police failed to protect ordinary people, the people would lose faith in them and resort to vigilantism, she said.
Asked if she was concerned about the criticism she got from various sections of society after her comments, Shabangu said: “I’m not worried about the backlash that came after last week’s imbizo. It’s a fact that our country is faced by this challenge of crime and if there’s a backlash from whatever circles, it’s not my worry.
“When I see widows of policemen coming to me in pain, being hurt and their children being fatherless… that’s my biggest worry and that’s my concern.”
Zuma, speaking at the a Chambers of Commerce and Industry of South Africa (Chamsa) conference in Boksburg on Wednesday, once again endorsed her stance.
He also argued that while the police must act within legal boundaries, legislation should more often be interpreted in ways that benefited crime fighters instead of criminals.
Zuma received loud applause when he said the police must “effectively” use the provision of section 49 of the Criminal Procedures Act, which governs the use of lethal force when dealing with criminals.
He said: “Our constitution is unambiguous on the right to life of all our citizens.
“When criminals seek to take away this right, we have to put the lives of law-abiding citizens and our police officials first.”
The rights of law-abiding citizens were more important than those of criminals, he said, again indicating that he intended to capitalise on President Thabo Mbeki’s perceived failure to deal with crime.
But while Zuma believes Shabangu’s remarks reflect the popular sentiment of the people, some of his ANC comrades feel her statement was out of order.
Former minister and MP Professor Kader Asmal has warned that allowing police to think they had a licence to kill could turn officers into vigilantes, as had occurred in Brazil.
But Zuma, calling for a “united patriotic front” in the war against crime, questioned the “audacity” of criminals who broke into the Johannesburg high court on Sunday night and stole court dockets. Those premises should be “sacrosanct”, he said.
Zuma also criticised those who argue against the importation of foreign skills to fill vacancies in the South African job market.
“Skilled immigrants staying and working legally in the country contribute to the growth of the South African economy,” he said.
Zuma argued that instead of taking jobs, “as some of our xenophobic compatriots argue”, immigrants helped the domestic economy to create job opportunities.
Zuma also reiterated the ANC’s concern over developments in Zimbabwe.
“The situation is more worrying now given the reported violence that has erupted in the country,” he said.
And in an apparent show of support for Mbeki, who has been criticised for denying there is a crisis in Zimbabwe, Zuma wished Mbeki and all political parties well in their attempts to seek an urgent and sustainable solution across the border.
ANC treasurer-general Mathew Phosa yesterday resigned as Chamsa president. Phosa said his new role in the ANC would take up too much of his time.
Zuma, in an apparently light-hearted swipe at Mbeki, lauded Phosa as “another good cadre who was not finding it difficult to step down”.