Press Statement: The Social Justice Coalition’s reaction to recent crime statistics presented by the Minister of Police.

The Social Justice Coalition’s reaction to recent crime statistics presented by the Minister of Police. On the 19th of February 2021, the Minister of Police Bheki Cele reported on the quarterly crime statistics from October to December 2020.   The crime statistics report showed an increase of 6.6 %  in murders nationally and in particular,…

The Prescription in Civil and Criminal Matters (Sexual Offences) Amendment Act is powerful move for the fight against gender based violence.

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) would like to commend the amendment on the prescription of the Sexual Offences Act.  This amendment exemplifies that justice never rests, it restores hope in many who have been victimized and gives those who have been victimized an opportunity to see justice regardless of time.   This amendment lifts the…

Khadija Bawa

[OPINION PIECE] From Collins Khosa to George Floyd: Policing in crisis in South Africa and the US

There are striking similarities between policing in the US and in South Africa, and in the deaths of George Floyd and Collins Khosa – the policing systems that caused them stem from oppressive pasts and are indicative of security forces that lack proper controls. In the last week we have seen in the media the…

[PRESS STATEMENT] DON’T CALL IN THE DEFENCE FORCE IN THE WESTERN CAPE – REALLOCATE POLICE RESOURCES

  Poor black neighbourhoods with high rates of violent crime have less police resources than wealthier, whiter and safer suburbs Police resources should be reallocated to where they are urgently needed – in areas that are suffering from violent crimes The Western Cape provincial police commissioner has the power to do this today This is…

[PRESS ALERT]: SJC NIGHT MARCH FOR PUBLIC LIGHTING

On Tuesday 19 February 2019 Social Justice Coalition (SJC) activists will march through Town Two, Khayelitsha at night to illustrate the difficulties residents face when attempting to navigate areas that have no or inadequate public lighting. The SJC has attempted to engage the City of Cape Town (CoCT) on the issue of discriminatory public lighting…

SJC members march behind a banner highlighting unfair police resourcing between different Cape Town suburbs

PRESS STATEMENT: Minister Cele, honour your word, withdraw the appeal, end the discrimination against poor, Black people

The Social Justice Coalition has learnt that the State Attorney’s office has still not received instructions from the Minister of Police Bheki Cele & the South African Police Service (SAPS) to withdraw their appeal of the Equality Court judgment on the discriminatory allocation of police resources. Earlier this week the SJC publicly welcomed recent statements…

SJC activists picket outside the Seapoint SAPS station on 20 July 2018 ahead of the police resources court hearings in August 2018.

Press Statement: A victory to celebrate: Minister Bheki Cele has it right (for now), while the DA has it wrong

The SJC welcomes Minister Cele’s candid admission that poor, Black police precincts across the country (not just those in the Western Cape) are in fact not getting the resources they deserve and need. We also welcome his admission that the solution isn’t necessarily more police, but instead is a rational reallocation of South Africa’s already…

SAPS Police Van

Press statement: Landmark Equality Court judgment in favour of poor, Black communities brutalised by violent crime to be challenged by SAPS

In appealing these declarations the state will only delay the equitable delivery of services to poor, Black people. The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is angered and disappointed by the decision of the Minister of Police, the National Police Commissioner and the Western Cape Police Commissioner to appeal the Equality Court judgment delivered in favour of…

SJC members march behind a banner highlighting unfair police resourcing between different Cape Town suburbs

Joint SJC and LRC Press Statement: Police Resources Equality Court Case

A victory for poor, Black communities confronted by high rates of contact and violent crime as Court rules that the allocation of police resources by SAPS is unfairly discriminatory On Friday, 14 December 2018, Judge Dolamo of the Equality Court, Western Cape Division, made a ground-breaking judgment (attached) that has considerable consequences for poor, Black…

Police Protest

Press Alert: Police resources judgment to be delivered on 14 December 2018 will have a monumental impact on policing across South Africa

On Friday, 14 December 2018 at 11h30 the Western Cape High Court, sitting as an Equality Court, will deliver judgment in the police resources court case brought by applicants the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), Equal Education (EE) and the Nyanga Community Police Forum (Nyanga CPF). The court will decide  whether the South African Police Service…