Irregular Arrest of ActionSA Activist in Primrose: ActionSA To Pursue Civil Claims For Unlawful Arrest

ActionSA welcomes the release of our activist, Patricia Khoza, after she was again irregularly arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, late Friday evening on a frivolous protection order by an undocumented foreign national, Tony Kadzadi. In this regard, ActionSA will be pursuing civil claims against the SAPS for wrongful arrest and intimidation.

At a picket in front of the Germiston Magistrate’s Court this morning, I told activists that we simply cannot stand by and allow the police to protect an undocumented foreign national while it continues to harass and intimidate South African citizens.

This is why ActionSA has no choice but to pursue civil claims against the South African police after the repeated times that our activist was irregularly arrested for supposedly intimidating an undocumented foreign national. This is while the foreign national is still awaiting trial for illegally hijacking a number of properties in Ekurhuleni, drug dealings, harassment and entering South Africa illegally.

As a party which stands by the rule of law, ActionSA cannot stand by while the rights of a South African are infringed upon; and thanks the work admitted attorney and ActionSA City of Ekurhuleni councillor, Kutloano Phoshoko, have done to help assist in getting Patricia released. We hope that civil charges against the SAPS would send a signal that the rights of South Africans are non-negotiable, and that criminals should urgently prosecuted for threatening the lives of our people.

Instead of prosecuting Kadzadi for the serious criminal charges of entering South Africa illegally and hijacking a number of buildings in Ekurhuleni over the past 10 years, it appears that the SAPS would rather intimidate innocent South Africans such as Khoza. As ActionSA, we refuse to allow this abuse of justice to take place and will do everything in our power to protect Khoza and ensure that Kadzadi is held accountable for the crimes committed.

ActionSA has long worked to ensure that Kadzadi appears in court and that Khoza is protected, having written to the Police, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID) and Minister of Home Affairs to ask that the matter be expedited. Despite our repeated attempts, our calls have fallen on deaf ears.

Furthermore, it has become apparent how dysfunctional the Primrose Police Station is and how it fails to protect the residents living in the community. The conduct found at the Primrose Police Station is a prime example of the breakdown of the rule of law found at police stations around the country.

ActionSA believes in the rule of law and we will continue to support Khoza to ensure that justice prevails. We will continue to work tirelessly towards ensuring that law and order are restored in our country and that victims of crime get the justice they deserve.

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