The South African Police Service in the North West continues to monitor and maintain stability in the North West Platinum Belt.
This comes after a media statement by the NUM that alleges that police are failing to control the situation in the Platinum Belt. It is important to note that we have seen only one untimely death to date in the area of Wonderkop Sports grounds on Sunday. This is an isolated incident where one man was found dead at about 20h00 Sunday, 28 July 2013. He was in his mine gear on his way to work and was allegedly shot with two bullets on the neck and the upper body.
This is an isolated incident which does not mean the situation is volatile in the platinum belt. It is an unfortunate taking of a man’s life and we cannot at this point, determine whether the murder pure criminality or lined to any mine related situation.
Police are still investigating and we believe perpetrators will be arrested and brought to book. This incident occurred during awkward times and it is a fact Police cannot be everywhere and guarding each and every individual in the area. Police continue to patrol and ensure that people of Marikana and Nkaneng are and feel safe.
It is wrong to continue making misinformed statements and remarks that are not verified in public platforms like the media. A wrong mischievous, malicious and an ill-informed comment were made last week to confirm death of a National Union of Mine Workers member in a NUM official statement. He was attacked last Sunday, 21 July 2013, he was wearing a NUM T-shirt, it is alleged that this man was on his way to a NUM rally. His attackers were unknown men with knob kieries. We would like to place it on record as the South African Police Service that NO NUM person died on that said date especially the man in question.
The man was treated and released by doctors where he was treated at Brits Hospital and Police would reiterate this and place it again on record, and the warm blooded man is a living testimony to these facts. This has a potential of sending shock waves and unnecessary tension amongst the people and destabilise the sector, which is the backbone of the South African Economy.
It is the request of the SAPS to all parties involved in the Platinum situation to take caution when making statements that may instill unnecessary fear and uncertainty in the Platinum Belts.
It remains our call as the SAPS that every stakeholder takes their meaning full role in ensuring total peace and stability in the belt. Safety and Security is a shared responsibility that all of us must ensure that our people are safe, this should be from the side of Unions, NUM and AMCU, and the employer to join hands with the SAPS. It is critical that we all report to the nation and base our assertions on facts and present a true picture to the people of South Africa, Africa and the world.
We can put it on record that the South African Police Service will never deter from upholding the rule of law in the Platinum Belt. The situation is currently under control and our investigations are ongoing on certain cases that we are working in the Platinum Belt. We must further be very careful when analysing or commenting on any situation in the areas of Marikana and Nkaneng not to link any crime that is taking place in the area to some instability in the Platinum belt.
There were criminal activities taking place in the area before the situation in the Platinum Belt started hence we have Marikana Police Station tasked with security in the area. These criminal activities will continue even today and that does not mean there is instability in the Platinum Belt.
The current status quo in the Platinum Belt is that there are no escalating levels of violence in the platinum belt workers are going to work, and life continues as normal in the area.
Police continues to ensure that local residents are living in a safe and secure environment. The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo said “Our duty is to ensure that we act as per the dictates of section 205 of the Republic of South African Constitution to prevent, combat and investigate crime and that is what we continue to do in the Platinum Belt”.
Media enquiries:
Brigadier ST Ngubane, North West SAPS Spokesperson
Cell: 082 372 4511
Tel: 018 299 7032
