/ 13 June 2002

Justice for all in Cullinan

The Gauteng government has stressed that law enforcement agencies in the Cullinan area, near Pretoria, should serve all residents equally, irrespective of race.

Acting Safety and Liaison MEC Paul Mashatile told a public meeting on Wednesday that the government would ensure that law enforcement agencies carried out their duties in line with the Constitution.

Mashatile led a delegation of MECs and officials to a meeting with the local police management and community policing forum.

The meeting followed complaints that white policemen in the area, among others, ignored complaints from black residents.

There were also complaints that when the residents of Refilwe township went to report their cases at the Cullinan police station, they were turned back to their satellite police station in the township.

”In our meeting today we agreed that all the issues raised by the public will be addressed immediately.

”We further agreed that there will be no person turned back when reporting cases, and that all the law enforcement agencies in the area will have to serve the community equally,” Mashatile told the meeting.

There was also a need for transforming commandos in the area so that relations between all sections of the community could be harmonised.

Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa told the audience his government was aware of the need to create jobs, provide infrastructure and crucial services that could better the lives of the people in the area.

”As a government we are doing everything in our power to improve the quality of the lives of our people. We have begun speeding up service delivery and through such a process we believe the lives of our people will change,” he said.

Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa announced that R803 000 was set aside for the renovation of healthcare facilities in the area.

”This will include the upgrading of the clinic at Refilwe as well as other health facilities in the Cullinan area,” she said. – Sapa