SALGA condemns the escalation of violent attacks on municipal officials

Posted: 12 December 2017

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The South African Local Government Association has been monitoring with great concern the escalation in the attacks against Municipal Officials and condemns these atrocious acts of violence.

These attacks are an infringement on the employee’s basic human rights to safety and security. If such violence continues, officials will hesitate to go into communities in the fear of being attacked and this poses the potential of adversely hampering service delivery and introduces instability to the local government system.

We encourage residents to raise their concerns in a constructive manner, through the correct channels with municipalities in any areas of dissatisfaction and not resort to violent protests and attacks. Criminality is unacceptable, more so when hard working and dedicated officials are attacked in their line of duty. It is unfortunate that the attacks are becoming somewhat of a recurring trend and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms as this kind of behaviour undermines democracy.

The work of local government is the concern of every South African citizen, SALGA therefore urges community members to work together with municipalities to provide information that will ensure that the suspects in all cases of attack are brought to book.