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‘It does not make us xenophobic’: Modise defends police identifying suspects by nationality

Defence minister Thandi Modise says some foreign nationals living in SA, both legally and illegally, 'do not respect our laws, traditions and culture'. File picture.
Defence minister Thandi Modise says some foreign nationals living in SA, both legally and illegally, 'do not respect our laws, traditions and culture'. File picture.
Image: GCIS

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Defence and military veterans minister Thandi Modise has defended police officers identifying criminal suspects by their nationalities, saying this does not make them xenophobic. 

Modise was responding to questions about the justice, crime prevention and security cluster’s effectiveness; after several serious crime incidents and the release of a scathing report into the July 2021 riots.

According to Modise, police were sometimes “too shy” to disclose the nationalities of suspects. 

“I have no problem with the police keeping mum about the nationalities of offenders but I think sometimes we are too shy to say to people who cross our borders — both legally and illegally, who reside among  us and do not respect our laws, traditions and cultures — that we are fed up. That does not make us xenophobic,” Modise said.

She said criminal syndicates need to be observed more closely because they may put service delivery at risk.

“What is happening in Orkney and Potchefstroom, North West, we need to give a closer look because it is syndicates who sometimes deal with matters which take away even the water supply which is supposed to be routed to people. Then we blame the municipalities.

“We need to say ‘come stay with us if you are legal. If you are not legal, please approach us for help. If you are in trouble, we will see how we can help you. If we have to deport you, we will not be apologetic about it. But please respect us.'”

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