I get called to many scenes of crime all over Johannesburg. I have been at cash-in-transit heists, bank robberies, murders and attempted murders.
I get called to many scenes of crime all over Johannesburg. I have been at cash-in-transit heists, bank robberies, murders and attempted murders.
Yet, when I was called to a scene right outside my house I shivered. The fact that the security guard posted there for his first night only lasted a half-hour before he was brutally beaten by six armed men was not the source of my shiver.
Nor was it the fact that a man was taken to hospital because he was beaten by the same men that beat up a 74-year-old lady with the same gun the same night.
Nor was it the fact that an 8-year-old girl witnessed the whole incident and wanted to fetch her father's pistol.
It was the attitude of the policemen and security guards who arrived on scene. They looked and felt helpless.
This country's leaders need to acknowledge that they are in a state of war and that we need to fight fire with fire.
Our men on the ground need to take leadership from leaders who have walked the walk and talked the talk and have impeccable records.
They need to be given the right resources both in equipment and paramilitary human resources.
I applaud Charles Nqakula for defending his men by giving them the right to start retaliating when under threat. Now give them the tools with which to retaliate.
Darren Bergman
DA spokesman on safety, Johannesburg
Give our police tools to fight fire with fire
I get called to many scenes of crime all over Johannesburg. I have been at cash-in-transit heists, bank robberies, murders and attempted murders.
I get called to many scenes of crime all over Johannesburg. I have been at cash-in-transit heists, bank robberies, murders and attempted murders.
Yet, when I was called to a scene right outside my house I shivered. The fact that the security guard posted there for his first night only lasted a half-hour before he was brutally beaten by six armed men was not the source of my shiver.
Nor was it the fact that a man was taken to hospital because he was beaten by the same men that beat up a 74-year-old lady with the same gun the same night.
Nor was it the fact that an 8-year-old girl witnessed the whole incident and wanted to fetch her father's pistol.
It was the attitude of the policemen and security guards who arrived on scene. They looked and felt helpless.
This country's leaders need to acknowledge that they are in a state of war and that we need to fight fire with fire.
Our men on the ground need to take leadership from leaders who have walked the walk and talked the talk and have impeccable records.
They need to be given the right resources both in equipment and paramilitary human resources.
I applaud Charles Nqakula for defending his men by giving them the right to start retaliating when under threat. Now give them the tools with which to retaliate.
Darren Bergman
DA spokesman on safety, Johannesburg