Red
Gold n Green Day Care Centre
Police crèche raid leaves children traumatized
Dear Western Cape Human Rights
Commission Officer
LETTER OF COMPLAINT ON THE POOR
CONDUCT OF THE LAW ENFORCERS OF METRO POLICE FROM PHILIPI CAPE TOWN
On the 15th of April 2010 the crèche
and community seemed fine and normal, at the crèche we were busy with
the children going through their daily learning at that particular
moment we were going through the charts.
We then suddenly saw police vans and
they stopped right in front of the crèche they got out carrying their
big guns, walking towards the crèche so one of the teachers Sister
Ntombencha went to meet them and explain that this is the crèche and
there are children inside, they never did listen to her. While the
other police were coming from the front others came from the back of
the crèche behind and were shouting that we open, but how could we
the children's book shelf is there we never use the back door. Teacher
Thandiswa tried to explain that to them at the back, there are
children inside can they not shout and go around to the front. Now
back and front they forced there way in.
We are a young crèche suffering to
get sponsors we make do with what we have at the moment our greatest
problem is the structure the little money we get we fix doors windows
etc so by winter the children will not suffer the cold, now here is
the law enforcer who can see and hear this is crèche instead of
appreciating the fact that there are people who still care and try to
protect the future of their children, they kicked down or pushed down
the door, front and back the police entered. They caused chaos and
confusion to the crèche; children were crying others screaming others
peed on their pants others ran out only to be mishandled by a
stranger, they cry out in fear because of the protectors of the law,
that day they hurt our children miss handling them and we even lost
money during the whole chaos amounting to R500 which was in a bag
taken by one of the officers. In all that confusion they force the two
teachers trying to calm the children out the crèche and left the
children alone, the cook Sister Nokphila and Teacher Siyasanga ran out
to look for help but who can help you against protectors of the law
breaking the law?
Marcus Garvey is a 90perc Rasta
community so some that could hear and see what was happening came to
the scene, one elder in particular Elder Champion who is the crèche’s
neighbor asked the police man why is he doing this to the children the
policeman said fuck you so the elder responded fuck you too then he
chased him out and the next thing the elder was shot right there
before the children, blood on the street outside the crèche building,
reporters that were there refused to take pictures and record what the
police man has done. He was bleeding badly and also because he was
shot at close range, since the teachers of R.G.G have first aid
knowledge they helped the Elder to lessen the blood gushing out while
police looked as if nothing happened, Sister Nokphila and other Rasta
man drove the Elder to Grooterschuur Hospital in Observatory where he
was unconscious for 3 days. The children of sister Thandiswa and
Ntombencha cried bitterly seeing their mothers driven away in a police
van. It was then other members of the community realized that the
children were left alone in tears, the cook left the Elder to the
hospital and the others went with the police. (see note)
The teachers were enraged what are
they being arrested for? And the children were traumatized by guns,
shouting and shooting that led to a blood scene.
The consequence of this action is
that when individual story time comes at the crèche they are not
speaking about their usual stories, it is now about guns, police death
and soldiers. Our crèche has no gun toys or soldiers we do not have
anything that symbolizes violence, it’s a value we do not want our
children to consider as an option. A parent reported that her son who
saw the whole thing is having nightmares being chased by a police with
a gun. Social workers from the Department of Social Development based
in the area came to see the children. We pray the Most High will heal
them.
This letter lodging a full complaint
against the Metro police officers poor conduct, a complaint against
the Law Enforcers from the Philippi area. The police man that shot the
Elder they were calling him Miller and they left in a van number plate
CA 113-031.their behavior was unruly we might be people down in the
ghettos and slums we might be even Rasta that the people do not
recognize us as members of society but before all we are human and the
way the law enforces treat us we are like animals. Raid or no raids
were is the respect? Where is the search warrant? Why kick down doors
and shout at us like mutes we are disgusted and disappointed by the
actions of this day treated like criminals in front of our children we
are a crèche, this is not a police state it is the land of the people
and we all have rights.
As our Bill of Rights clearly states
under Freedom and security; ”everyone has the right to freedom and
security of the person, which includes the right; 1. not to be
deprived of freedom arbitrarily or with out just cause; 2. not to be
detained without trial; 3. to be free from all forms of violence from
either public or private sources; 4. not to be treated or punished in
a cruel, inhuman or degrading way” Under the privacy Bill of rights’’
Everyone has the right to privacy, which includes the right not to
have 1. their person or home searched 2. their property searched 3.
their possessions seized; All the above Bill of Rights the law
enforcers ignored and betrayed.
We ask they be disciplined
accordingly as a unit and as individuals may Justice be fare, to bring
a letter of apology to the crèche and a compensation fee towards the
building of the new crèche for the children of Red Gold and Green
Educare and a compensation fee towards the counseling of the
traumatized toddlers.
Thanking you in this regard and we
pray that this matter is taken seriously
We await your response
Regards
RED GOLD and GREEN EDU CARE
MANAGEMENT
Thobekile Mbanda Siyasanga Thandiswa
Skwepile
MD Secretary Treasurer
0784381116 / 0710030852 / 071 5326512
PLEASE SEND YOUR SUPPORT COMPLAINT
TO
7th Floor
ABSA building
132 Adderley Street
Cape Town
Tel: 021 426 2277
Fax: 021 426 2875
The CRL Rights Commission
Fax the Complaint to
Office of the Chairperson. Rev Mabuza
Fax: (011) 880 3495
Tel: (011) 537 7600.
* The elder who was
shot passed forward to Zion this morning.
