Thapelo Amad (Photo: Mehmet Vefa Dag/Twitter)
AfriForum filed a complaint against a former mayor of Johannesburg who fired shots into the air at a funeral.
A video in which Thapelo Amad, mayoral committee member for community development of the Johannesburg city council, fires shots was distributed on social media earlier this month. A complaint in terms of a breach of the Firearms Control Act was lodged against Amad with the police. Amad is currently a member of the mayoral committee for Community Development in Johannesburg and party leader of the political party Al Jama-ah.
In the meantime, among other things The Citizen report Amad denies it is him in the video that spread like wildfire on social media, dismissing it as a smear campaign.
This incident is similar to an incident in which Julius Malema, leader of the EFF, was charged and found guilty about two weeks ago.
Malema was sentenced to five years in prison on 16 April in the Magistrate’s Court in KuGompo City (formerly East London).
A storm erupted over Amad’s head earlier this month, after a video was distributed on social media of a man firing shots at the funeral.
Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s chief spokesperson for community safety, says the video was allegedly taken at a funeral in Soweto in August last year. It appears from the video footage that Amad may be the shooter. Broodryk says AfriForum’s complaint follows in response to the alleged failure of law enforcement parties to investigate the serious allegations regarding the firing of a firearm in a built-up area and take action against the suspect.
AfriForum has now requested the police to file and investigate five complaints against Amad in terms of the Act on the Control of Firearms. The proposed charges include illegal possession of a firearm; illegal possession of ammunition; firing a firearm in a built-up area without good reason; the failure to take reasonable precautions in handling a firearm to protect persons or property; and discharging or handling a firearm with reckless disregard for the safety or property of any person.
Broodryk says politicians are not above the law and the failure to act decisively in cases like this undermines the rule of law and public trust in the legal system.
“It is disappointing that some politicians and individuals with political connections still think it is acceptable to put civilians’ lives at risk for the so-called purpose of entertainment. We have seen this in the case of Julius Malema, the EFF leader, and the law must be applied accordingly – without fear, favoritism or political bias.”
He believes that the continued failure to act against this type of behavior contributes to a dangerous culture of impunity.
“When political leaders act recklessly and there are no consequences for their actions, it sends a clear message that lawlessness is tolerated. It is a message that South Africa simply cannot afford. Reckless firearm use is not a trivial matter – it is potentially deadly and those who are guilty of it must be held accountable,” concludes Broodyrk.
In the meantime, AfriForum will follow developments in this matter and, if necessary, take further steps to ensure accountability and ensure that the principle of equality before the law is upheld.
Toe The Citizen When approached for comment, Amad asked to see the video. He then said that the person in the video may look like him, but is not him.