Protect yourselves because cops can't be relied on - AfriForum

Cape Town - Communities should take responsibility to safeguard themselves as the police cannot be relied on to fight crime in the country.

This was one 15 motions taken by more than 400 delegates who attended the AfriForum National Congress in Limpopo, the organisation said in a statement on Saturday.

Deputy CEO Cornelius Jansen van Rensburg said that while they are grateful for officers who do perform, “reality shows that we’ll only be able to live free, safe and prosperous in South Africa if we take responsibility for our own safety”.

Instituting and reinforcing community safety networks would be one of the organisation’s key priorities, as well as the development of a “practical safety focus on national level as well as in local communities”. 

The congress, attended by representatives of 150 AfriForum structures from across the country, also accepted a motion of no confidence in national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega, unanimously agreeing that she should be removed from her post.