The police minister Bheki Cele and the national police commissioner Khehla Sitole are two captains of a ship about to hit a rock and sink our country into the abyssal depths of an uncertain future.

In the book of Amos 3:3, it reads thus: “How can the two walk together unless they first agree where to go?” My question is this: “How can Cele and Sitole walk and work together if they don’t first agree?”

When problems arise, these two men should put their differences aside and take responsibilities to ensure the safety and security of the nation. The police minister and his commissioner should be proactive rather than reactive when dealing with volatile situations.

The racial tensions in Phoenix were supposed to have been stopped before the ugly scenes claimed the lives of citizens. Phoenix community leaders claimed to have called Cele before the looters entered their vicinity, but the police took long to respond to the urgent call.

However, I blame Phoenix residents for taking the law into their own hands as no-one is above the law. Again, Phoenix residents have no right to barricade the roads and streets with debris, hampering movement of other road users.

While I condemn looting and anarchy in strong terms, I would also like to challenge the police and the soldiers to hurriedly go to Phoenix and defuse the racial tensions between the Indian and black communities. Indian residents should swallow their pride and abide by the law instead of living predator-prey relationship with black residents in their neighbourhood.

We don’t want to witness a resurrection of the ugly apartheid that was buried decades ago. The police and soldiers shouldn’t wait for violence to reach boiling point before they mediate the two warring groups. Racial tensions signal fear and discomfort in our communities.

Amos Tebeila Mohlaletse, Limpopo