Eastern Cape Police Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) boss Colonel Loyiso Mdingi has blamed provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga for Wednesday’s slaughter of five police officers and a retired soldier in Ngcobo.
Mdingi, the Hawks organised crime unit commander in Mthatha, laid into Ntshinga, saying had she beefed up security at stations when Popcru had sounded the alarm about the rise in incidences of criminals targeting police stations, that could have averted Wednesday’s massacre.
Mdingi came out guns blazing after visiting the Ngcobo police station where he told police national human resources deputy commissioner Lieutenant-General Bonang Mgwenya, ANC provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane, abaThembu acting King Azenathi Dalindyebo and Engcobo Municipality mayor Lizeka Bonga-Tyali, among others, that urgent intervention was needed in police management in the province, before the situation resulted in “total collapse” of the police service.
“We have a management crisis in the Eastern Cape. This provincial management is a disaster. It is sad that we have lost so many heroes in this fashion. We saw it coming,” Mdingi said.
“We warned the SAPS provincial management when several other police stations were attacked and firearms were stolen. But nobody took action and they avoided meetings with us. I urged you generals from national to please intervene,” an angry Mdingi charged.
Mdingi was in Ngcobo after Popcru members - Warrant Officer Zuko Mbini, 45, of Zimbane Valley in Mthatha, Constable Zuko Mathetha, 27, of Ncorha in Cofimvaba, Constable Zuko Ntsheku, 38, of Luhewini in Ngcobo, Constable Nkosiphendule Pongco, 32, Malungeni village 3 in Ngqeleni, and Constable Sibongiseni Sandlana, 32, of Qunu near Mthatha - were killed on Wednesday after unknown gunmen opened fire on the police station and stole 10 guns.
Mdingi said more than 70 firearms (including the 10 stolen this week) have been stolen from police stations in the Eastern Cape, mostly from the former Transkei. “This means that we have a huge, heavily-armed army of criminals out there ready to attack or keep on attacking and gather more firearms.
“We now fear which will be the next police station to be attacked,” he said.
Mdingi said they had advised Ntshinga that armed officers should be stationed at police stations’ main gates.
On Wednesday, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula promised the Ngcobo community that the police station would be upgraded. The upgrades would include installing CCTV cameras.
Responding to Mdingi, Mgwenya said: “This is not the time to blame each other. It is a time that we must be united in arresting the killers. But we have heard the complaints and we will address them in due course,” said Mgwenya.
Police provincial spokesman Captain Khaya Tonjeni declined to comment on Mdingi’s claims.
Meanwhile, the memorial service of the five policemen will be held at the Methodist Church Hall in Ngcobo at 10am on Tuesday. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Union slates top cop for station attack
Mdingi, the Hawks organised crime unit commander in Mthatha, laid into Ntshinga, saying had she beefed up security at stations when Popcru had sounded the alarm about the rise in incidences of criminals targeting police stations, that could have averted Wednesday’s massacre.
Mdingi came out guns blazing after visiting the Ngcobo police station where he told police national human resources deputy commissioner Lieutenant-General Bonang Mgwenya, ANC provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane, abaThembu acting King Azenathi Dalindyebo and Engcobo Municipality mayor Lizeka Bonga-Tyali, among others, that urgent intervention was needed in police management in the province, before the situation resulted in “total collapse” of the police service.
“We have a management crisis in the Eastern Cape. This provincial management is a disaster. It is sad that we have lost so many heroes in this fashion. We saw it coming,” Mdingi said.
“We warned the SAPS provincial management when several other police stations were attacked and firearms were stolen. But nobody took action and they avoided meetings with us. I urged you generals from national to please intervene,” an angry Mdingi charged.
Mdingi was in Ngcobo after Popcru members - Warrant Officer Zuko Mbini, 45, of Zimbane Valley in Mthatha, Constable Zuko Mathetha, 27, of Ncorha in Cofimvaba, Constable Zuko Ntsheku, 38, of Luhewini in Ngcobo, Constable Nkosiphendule Pongco, 32, Malungeni village 3 in Ngqeleni, and Constable Sibongiseni Sandlana, 32, of Qunu near Mthatha - were killed on Wednesday after unknown gunmen opened fire on the police station and stole 10 guns.
Mdingi said more than 70 firearms (including the 10 stolen this week) have been stolen from police stations in the Eastern Cape, mostly from the former Transkei. “This means that we have a huge, heavily-armed army of criminals out there ready to attack or keep on attacking and gather more firearms.
“We now fear which will be the next police station to be attacked,” he said.
Mdingi said they had advised Ntshinga that armed officers should be stationed at police stations’ main gates.
On Wednesday, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula promised the Ngcobo community that the police station would be upgraded. The upgrades would include installing CCTV cameras.
Responding to Mdingi, Mgwenya said: “This is not the time to blame each other. It is a time that we must be united in arresting the killers. But we have heard the complaints and we will address them in due course,” said Mgwenya.
Police provincial spokesman Captain Khaya Tonjeni declined to comment on Mdingi’s claims.
Meanwhile, the memorial service of the five policemen will be held at the Methodist Church Hall in Ngcobo at 10am on Tuesday. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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