Officials to visit families of shot protestors

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Pretoria - North West Premier Thandi Modise and Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa will later this afternoon visit the families of the protestors, who were fatally shot during a service delivery protest near Damonsville outside Brits.

Modise, along with Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, had earlier appealed for calm and expressed condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, and also wished those injured a speedy recovery.

Modise had also appealed to those with information surrounding the clash between the protestors and the police and the shooting to assist the Independent Police Investigative Directorate in their investigation.

“Our hard won democracy guarantees people the right to peaceful protest. While we sympathise with the need for our communities to voice their frustrations and dissatisfaction with service delivery, we wish to appeal that such protests be in accordance with the public gatherings act to avoid unnecessary confrontations and loss of lives,” Modise said. – SAnews.gov.za