WEDNESDAY, 8.00AM
SAFETY and Security minister Sydney Mufamadi is to ask police chief George Fivaz to defuse tensions in Richmond, scene of multiple political murders last week, by redeploying local policemen elsewhere.
Mufamadi met with Richmond’s mayor and councillors yesterday to discuss the recent murders of six ANC members in the area, including three councillors. Witneses have blamed local policemen. “I am not saying the police are guilty,” said Mufamadi, “but in order to ensure normalisation of relations between police and community, I will ask the police comissioner to redeploy them.”
Mufamadi also said he would recommend public hearings into the allegations against police, and that the matter be referred to the Independent Complaints Directorate.
Meanwhile police said that “new information” had changed the thrust of the investigation, and police were no longer searching for the two Gauteng policemen suspected last week. But a reward of R200 000 has been offered for the arrest of Bob Ndlovu, a former ANC self defence unit member, wanted for several murders in the area, including killing three policemen last year.