“Salga in the previous years suggested that the rate of successful prosecution of councillors killings must be raised by turning councillors slayings into priority crimes. The budget for the provision of security to councillors and senior officials must be appropriated from the national fiscus.”
The organisation said other ways of bringing an end to the crime was to make sure that police and the National Prosecuting Authority investigate and prosecute those involved and have the police look at the possibility of developing a model of conducting risk assessments for councillors and municipal officials.
While the nature of attacks varies, the most common included the killing of both councillors and officials as well as damage to moveable and immovable property; security threats at offices and homes, threats for executing official responsibilities; intimidation from gangsters related to building projects as well as extortion and families of councillors held up in their homes.
Stofile said these attacks threatened the credibility of our democracy; pose a danger where society, in general, might develop intolerance which is inimical to our democracy;
"It erodes our constitutional imperatives in so far as it does not reflect neither the character of our society or the will of the people, and it negatively impacts the credibility of local government as a potential area of opportunity for qualified and competent public representative and prospective employees."
Among the proposed solutions, Salga believes there is a need for platforms to engage on issues relating to councillors’ welfare and support to ensure that communities are educated on the roles and responsibilities of the different spheres of government through public awareness campaigns and roadshows.
“The killing of councillors and municipal officials is not a local government matter that can simply be resolved single-handedly, there is a need to marshal society in its entirety to go back to the basics – where there will be respect for human life and democracy,” Stofile said.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
54 municipal officials killed since 2021 polls
Salga proposes budget for security provision
At least 54 councillors and municipal officials have been killed since 2021 local government elections, and now the South African Local Government Association (Salga) is calling for government to set a budget for provision of security.
The organisation said it has noticed the growing number of intimidation and killing of councillors and municipal officials with at least 54 killed for various reasons since the local elections a year ago, and more than 300 being murdered over the past few years.
Salga president Bheke Stofie said the increasing intimidation and killings in recent weeks is concerning.
“It cannot be that week after week we convey condolences for public representatives who have been killed. The killing of municipal councillors and/or senior managers should be viewed within the contestation of power, it presents a direct attack on our hard-won democracy,” Stofile said.
“Salga in the previous years suggested that the rate of successful prosecution of councillors killings must be raised by turning councillors slayings into priority crimes. The budget for the provision of security to councillors and senior officials must be appropriated from the national fiscus.”
The organisation said other ways of bringing an end to the crime was to make sure that police and the National Prosecuting Authority investigate and prosecute those involved and have the police look at the possibility of developing a model of conducting risk assessments for councillors and municipal officials.
While the nature of attacks varies, the most common included the killing of both councillors and officials as well as damage to moveable and immovable property; security threats at offices and homes, threats for executing official responsibilities; intimidation from gangsters related to building projects as well as extortion and families of councillors held up in their homes.
Stofile said these attacks threatened the credibility of our democracy; pose a danger where society, in general, might develop intolerance which is inimical to our democracy;
"It erodes our constitutional imperatives in so far as it does not reflect neither the character of our society or the will of the people, and it negatively impacts the credibility of local government as a potential area of opportunity for qualified and competent public representative and prospective employees."
Among the proposed solutions, Salga believes there is a need for platforms to engage on issues relating to councillors’ welfare and support to ensure that communities are educated on the roles and responsibilities of the different spheres of government through public awareness campaigns and roadshows.
“The killing of councillors and municipal officials is not a local government matter that can simply be resolved single-handedly, there is a need to marshal society in its entirety to go back to the basics – where there will be respect for human life and democracy,” Stofile said.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za