Probe into police behaviour at Newlands cricket ground

Probe into police behaviour at Newlands cricket ground

Cape Town – The Good Party has reacted to a response from Police Minister Bheki Cele concerning the behaviour of SAPS members outside Newlands cricket ground during the South Africa versus India test match last month, saying it welcomed a probe into the officers’ conduct.

Social media posts on the day showed members of the police preventing a peaceful protest calling for justice in Palestine, and allegedly stopping a would-be fan wearing a T-shirt expressing support for Palestinians from entering the stadium.

Good Party secretary-general and MP, Brett Herron, said he wrote to Cele to ask why police intervened in the protest; what laws they were enforcing; how their actions aligned with the constitutional right to protest; who instructed them to stop the protest; and whether he believed their actions could be termed legitimate police work.

Herron on Wednesday said that in a written reply, Cele said: “An investigation has been initiated and an outcome is pending. The details of the investigation cannot be divulged at this stage as this may compromise the integrity of the investigation.”

Cele’s reply was counter-signed by National Commissioner of Police Fannie Masemola. Herron said he welcomed the investigation.

“Besides South Africans’ constitutional rights to gather and protest, Cape Town is the murder and gang capital of the country. There are many more useful things for police to do than harass a peaceful protest,” he said.

Cape Argus