A NEW policy on how the SA Police Service should manage public protests was approved by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa yesterday.
"The policy ... is aimed at providing a framework and guidelines for the police in policing public protests, and to introduce stringent measures around the use of force linked to public gatherings and protests," the Police Ministry said.
It had been working on the policy for some months.
"The policy calls for (the) establishment of a dedicated national public order policing (POPs) unit within the SAPS."
A POPs unit had existed in the SAPS up to 2006, but was disbanded in that year.
The statement quoted Mthethwa as saying police reaction to both planned and spontaneous protests seemed to lack proper structure and formation.
"There is no coordination, while there seems to be no purpose on the side of the SAPS but solely to guard the protest."
According to the statement SAPS management had to ensure all required and necessary equipment was available to police officers. This should be evenly distributed, allocated and properly maintained.
"The minimum equipment that will be required includes body armour and helmets, shields, batons, water cannon (some already procured for crowd control during the 2010 Fifa World Cup), armoured vehicles (some of the current fleet needs replacement), as well as specified-calibre firearms and ammunition.
"A key area of procurement is the availability of video equipment during public protests and demonstrations. Working video equipment must be deployed to and used at all public gatherings and protests.
"The use of such video equipment will not only assist the police in securing prosecutions where criminal acts occur, but will also allow the police to make use of material gathered during videoing of such events for training and debriefings."
The statement noted that the convenors or organisers of events have a responsibility to ensure such events were orderly and peaceful.
"While the police have a responsibility to police public protest, gatherings and events, the Gatherings Act confers considerable responsibilities on convenors or organisers of events to ensure that such events are carried out in an orderly and peaceful manner.
"Any contravention of this must result in the organisers facing criminal charges."
Mthethwa approves policy on protests
A NEW policy on how the SA Police Service should manage public protests was approved by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa yesterday.
"The policy ... is aimed at providing a framework and guidelines for the police in policing public protests, and to introduce stringent measures around the use of force linked to public gatherings and protests," the Police Ministry said.
It had been working on the policy for some months.
"The policy calls for (the) establishment of a dedicated national public order policing (POPs) unit within the SAPS."
A POPs unit had existed in the SAPS up to 2006, but was disbanded in that year.
The statement quoted Mthethwa as saying police reaction to both planned and spontaneous protests seemed to lack proper structure and formation.
"There is no coordination, while there seems to be no purpose on the side of the SAPS but solely to guard the protest."
According to the statement SAPS management had to ensure all required and necessary equipment was available to police officers. This should be evenly distributed, allocated and properly maintained.
"The minimum equipment that will be required includes body armour and helmets, shields, batons, water cannon (some already procured for crowd control during the 2010 Fifa World Cup), armoured vehicles (some of the current fleet needs replacement), as well as specified-calibre firearms and ammunition.
"A key area of procurement is the availability of video equipment during public protests and demonstrations. Working video equipment must be deployed to and used at all public gatherings and protests.
"The use of such video equipment will not only assist the police in securing prosecutions where criminal acts occur, but will also allow the police to make use of material gathered during videoing of such events for training and debriefings."
The statement noted that the convenors or organisers of events have a responsibility to ensure such events were orderly and peaceful.
"While the police have a responsibility to police public protest, gatherings and events, the Gatherings Act confers considerable responsibilities on convenors or organisers of events to ensure that such events are carried out in an orderly and peaceful manner.
"Any contravention of this must result in the organisers facing criminal charges."
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