Photo by John Clarke
On Thursday 19 May 2016 a group of social justice organisations wrote to the minister of police and the national police commissioner requesting a public progress report by the South African Police Service (SAPS) regarding the investigation into the assassination of Amadiba Crisis Committee chairperson Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe.
Mr Rhadebe was shot in the head by two suspects pretending to be police officers at his home in Mbizana, Pondoland on 22 March 2016.
In their letter, the organisations express grave concerns about the fact that, two months after the killing, no suspects have been arrested, and that no progress on the investigation has been reported publicly.
The organisations also requested that local activists associated with the Amadiba Crisis Committee be given adequate protection by the local SAPS, and that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate be tasked with investigating allegations of intimidation and biased conduct by the SAPS in connection with the mining at Xolobeni and associated conflict.
The letter was sent on behalf of:
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
Centre for Environmental Rights
Centre for Human Rights (University of Pretoria)
Corruption Watch
Equal Education Law Centre
groundWork
Lawyers for Human Rights
ProBono.Org
Public Service Accountability Monitor
SECTION27
South African History Archive
Women’s Legal Centre
Read the text of the letter below, or download.
Joint Letter to Minister of Police, Police Commissioner and IPID, 19 May 2016 (PDF attached)
The Honourable Nkosinathi Nhleko MP
Minister of Police
756-7th Floor Wachthuis Building
231 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
By email: monahengamelia@saps.gov.za
By fax: 012 393 2820
Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane
Acting National Commissioner: South African Police Service
7th Floor Wachthuis Building
231 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
By email: phahlanek@saps.gov.za
By fax: 012 393 2616 and 012 421 0401
Mr Israel Kgamanyane
Acting Executive Director: Independent Police Investigative Directorate
City Forum Building
114 Madiba Street, Pretoria
By email: ikgamanyane@ipid.gov.za
By fax: 012 399 0144
19 May 2016
URGENT
Dear Minister Nhleko, Lieutenant General Phahlane and Mr Kgamanyane
URGENT REQUEST FOR A REPORT ON PROGRESS IN THE POLICE INVESTIGATION OF THE KILLING OF SIKOSIPHI ‘BAZOOKA’ RHADEBE, AND FOR POLICE PROTECTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMADIBA, PONDLOLAND, WILD COAST
- At approximately 19h30 on 22 March 2016 Sikosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe, human rights activist and chairperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC), was shot by two gunmen outside his home in Mdatya village, Amadiba. He died on the scene shortly after the shooting.
- The ACC is a group of Amadiba community members who are representing their community in its decade long opposition to the mining of titanium on the Xolobeni sand dunes by an Australian mining company, Mineral Commodities Limited, through its local subsidiary Transworld Energy and Minerals Resources, as well as the South African National Roads Agency Limited’s project to build an N2 toll highway through the area, which is intended to be used in the transport of the mined minerals. The ACC is asserting the community’s right to determine a development path that does not include mining, but rather long-term sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism.
- The ACC believes that Mr Rhadebe’s death was an assassination. At approximately 18h00 on 22 March 2016, not long before his death, Mr Rhadebe phoned Ms Nonhle Mbuthuma, secretary of the ACC, and told her that he was aware of a “hit list” of opponents to the mining. According to Mr Rhadebe, his name was first on the list; hers was second; and Mr Mzamo Dlamini, the deputy chairperson of the ACC, was third. Approximately an hour and a half later two men arrived at Mr Rhadebe’s house in a hijacked car, masquerading as police officers. Mr Rhadebe was executed outside his house in front of his wife and young child.
- As far as we are aware, approximately two months after the assassination of Mr Rhadebe, no arrests have been made, and no reports on progress made in the investigation, if any, have been made public.
- On Saturday, 2 April 2016, two journalists from The Citizen newspaper and two ACC members were badly beaten after the funeral of Mr Rhadebe. The group was attacked by an angry mob armed with knobkerries, machetes, a spade and rocks. Although local South African Police Service (SAPS) officers arrived at the scene while the perpetrators were present and brandishing their weapons, they refused to arrest any of the perpetrators, choosing instead to confiscate the camera and cell phone of The Citizen photographer. As far as we are aware, there have been no arrests pursuant to this attack, although the identities of the perpetrators are known.
- The aforesaid is but one example of the norm of biased conduct by the local SAPS. The ACC and anti-mining community members have reported targeted night-time police raids where officers have refused to identify themselves or to furnish search warrants, as well as a general unwillingness by the local SAPS to respond to their call-outs. As a result, we understand that the ACC and anti-mining community members are fearful of the local SAPS, believing them to be aligned to the pro-mining elements, and do not trust them to protect them against the very real threat of violence that they face.
- Given the events that preceded Mr Rhadebe’s killing and violent events like the incident described above, as social justice and public interest organisations we continue to be extremely concerned about the safety of other activists and supporters of the ACC (including in particular Ms Nonhle Mbuthuma and Mr Mzamo Dlamini).
- Against this background, we request your urgent intervention to ensure:
- the efficient and professional investigation by the SAPS and/or the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (“the Hawks”) of the killing of Mr Rhadebe and that the perpetrators are caught and prosecuted as a matter of urgency;
- that a report on the progress in the investigation is made public;
- immediate and adequate SAPS protection from further violence be provided to all ACC activists and supporters, and their families; and
- the urgent investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate of the allegations of intimidation and biased conduct by the SAPS in connection with the mining at Xolobeni and associated conflict.
Kindly acknowledge receipt, and provide us with a substantive reply by no later than 2 June 2016.
Signed by:
Centre for Accountable Governance
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
Centre for Environmental Rights (please direct your reply to this organisation on behalf of those listed here: 2nd Floor, Springtime Studios, 1 Scott Road, Observatory 7925 or fax 086 730 9098)
Centre for Human Rights (University of Pretoria)
Corruption Watch
Equal Education Law Centre
groundWork
Lawyers for Human Rights
ProBono.Org
Public Service Accountability Monitor
SECTION27
South African History Archive
Women’s Legal Centre
