Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula did not attend an anti-crime march in Johannesburg on Sunday because the demonstration had a political motive, his office said on Monday.
”The march was clearly intended to embarrass the government,” said Leslie Xinwa, Nqakula’s spokesperson.
”He [Nqakula] learnt yesterday [Sunday] that the march had political motives,” Xinwa said.
He said Nqakula wanted to attend the march as a person who was concerned about crime in South Africa, and at no stage was he told he would be receiving a memorandum.
About 2 000 people who took part in the march were told that Nqakula had promised to be at the Newtown Cultural Precinct to receive a memorandum from the crowd, and had not turned up.
”Where is the government?” asked Lynne Vince-Jillings, the organiser of the event, on Sunday. ”Minister Charles promised us he will be here today [Sunday] to take this memorandum,” she said.
Some people shouted: ”He is a liar.”
Another one said: ”The government is hiding.”
Vince-Jillings created the Alive Campaign in September 2003 — 10 weeks after six hijackers shot and killed her son Ivanne execution-style. The march was to protest against violent crimes.
Democratic Alliance member Douglas Gibson; Majakathatha Mokoena, the founder of the Economic Freedom Movement; and Johann Killian of the New National Party attended the march.
Gibson said he was ashamed that ”not a single member of the government” had come to the march to collect a memorandum of grievances from the crowd.
”I am ashamed that our government is not here today to face the people of this country,” he said.
Xinwa said the minister was not asked to be present to receive a memorandum.
”At no stage was he told he should be there to receive a memorandum. He was to have joined the march as a person who is concerned about crime,” Xinwa said. — Sapa