Ethekwini’s Casspir purchase raises opposition’s ire
The metro police claim the vehicles will help with crowd control and will keep them safe when rocks or petrol bombs are thrown
Opposition parties in the ANC-run eThekwini Municipality have come out with guns blazing after the city bought four armoured Casspirs worth R20m for use against violent public protests and land invasions. But the city has returned fire‚ justifying the purchase and saying it had no obligation to report it, but did so for the sake of transparency. Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer said the vehicles would be used by the metro police’s crowd management unit during volatile protests. "These vehicles have been ordered for a good reason to assist metro police in carrying out their duties‚" she said. It was revealed during an executive committee meeting on Tuesday that eThekwini was in the process of buying the vehicles from Denel at a cost of R19.9m. The committee heard that the vehicles would help the metro police carry out crowd management duties and ensure their safety in situations where rocks or petrol bombs were thrown. They would also be of use in dealing with land invasions. "The awarding o...
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