‘Action not advice’: DA slams police response to nine deaths in Ekurhuleni - TimesLIVE

The DA has criticised the government’s response to the discovery of nine women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni, saying it has failed to respond adequately to a growing crisis.

DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane accused local government, the province and the national department of police of not hearing the outrage and voices of people in Ekurhuleni.

“People are marching, campaigning and crying, families are broken. As a ninth body is discovered in Ekurhuleni today, it shows the crisis is growing,” Rasilingwane said.

“All the government offers is an undefined ‘lockdown’ and a police ‘task team’. This is inexcusable. It is a failure to understand pain and suffering, living in fear every day, not only this week.”

The SA Police Service must do what they receive billions from our tax money to do. They must protect us from crime

Rasilingwane rejected police advice that people should be responsible for their own safety and take better precautions. She launched a petition rejecting the instruction, titled “Action, not advice”.

“I am launching this petition so every person in South Africa can say, ‘I will not be told by the police to protect myself. The SA Police Service must do what they receive billions from our tax money to do. They must protect us from crime,’” she said.

Rasilingwane said women do not need police advice on their behaviour, but action to address crime.

“We urgently demand action from the acting minister of police for better police resources, a clearance of the DNA evidence backlog to catch criminals, and reliable gender-based violence and femicide crime statistics,” she said.

“We call on all residents and all South Africans to sign the petition to say enough is enough. We will not be given advice on our conduct. You will take action to find this murderer and to address crime.”

The DA has added its voice to efforts to uncover the culprit or culprits behind the discovered bodies, offering a R500,000 reward for information leading to the successful criminal prosecution of the murderer.

Rasilingwane said the move was motivated by the party’s concern for the safety of women in Ekurhuleni and South Africa.

“As the DA mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, the more I can do to help bring this perpetrator to book, the more we will do. I want to see Ekurhuleni safer, and better governed, as soon as possible, and that means ensuring murderers are arrested and put in jail,” she said.

The party said its intention was to supplement and augment law enforcement efforts already under way, adding extra reason for relevant information to be handed over immediately.

“Ekurhuleni cannot wait. Women cannot wait. Justice cannot wait,” the DA said.

The party referred to families left behind by those who died, including the eight-year-old daughter of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who made the first calls highlighting her mother’s disappearance.

“Society can follow in her footsteps to bring the perpetrator to light,” it said.

The DA said information for the reward must be submitted to the police, with proof it was handed to SAPS provided to the party. It said it would not accept direct tip-offs or reports, and would only consider properly lodged police records.