Ivory Park community lodges a formal complaint against Red Ants Security and EMPD
The community of Ivory Park with the assistance of R2K Gauteng have lodged a formal complaint with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) against the Red Ants Security, Relocation & Eviction Services for the assault, murder, theft and destruction of property that occurred in Ivory Park on 22 May 2017.
They have also formally complained to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) regarding the death of a community member as a result of police action, the discharge of a firearm by a police officer and assault by police officers. On that day one person died and 12 others were hospitalised following violent clashes with the Red Ants and Ekurhuleni Metro Police in Ivory Park.
The person died as a result of his injuries by the Red Ants, and those who tried to help him were threatened and chased away. The Red Ants are unaccountable thugs, and must be brought to book. The Right2Know Campaign continues to receive complaints about private companies like the Red Ants on how they violate human rights when demolishing people’s shelters or during evictions.
The right to dignity, safety and security of citizens are been violated continuously by the Red Ants and the Metro police and it’s about time institutions like IPID and PSIRA take a stern action.
IPID must follow its mandate of conducting impartial investigations of criminal acts committed by members of the South African Police Services and Municipal Police Services.
Police officers remain unaccountable and operate in a culture of impunity while innocent citizens are frequently harassed, intimidated, assaulted and wrongfully arrested. The problem of police brutality affects most communities in South Africa and these escalating incidents cannot be left unchallenged.
We call for immediate suspension and disciplinary action against the officers involved in this matter. They must face tougher action for committing such human rights violations.
We call on South Africans to name and shame police officers who are overstepping the mark by recording police brutality incidents with their phones whenever witnessing such incidents.
The police’s role is to ‘serve and protect’ not to terrorise and assault innocent citizens.
Read the witnesses account of what happened on that day here.
