STATEMENT BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD SECRETARY-GENERAL AND MEMBER OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT
Update: Police Must Not Interfere with Rise of Good Samaritans
27 April 2020
This morning I wrote to the Premier, Mayor and Western Cape Police Commissioner requesting common sense and compassion prevail instead of shutting down spontaneous neighborhood feeding schemes.
This followed a disturbing report of City Law Enforcement and SAPS harassment of a resident in Mouille Point who responded to hunger amongst homeless people in his neighborhood by providing two cooked meals a day.
On Friday the resident was threatened with arrest if he did not stop his small feeding scheme.
I am grateful for the swift response by a senior Provincial police officer who responded to my request for intervention.
She has assured me that the matter has been resolved with the Sea Point Police Station.
I wish to thank and commend the Provincial police leadership for quickly recognizing that common sense was required and that the small feeding scheme was not in fact illegal.
Food scarcity is one of our greatest the crises. When Good Samaritans step forward to help the authorities should be supporting them not threatening them.
I trust that this matter is now resolved.
Ends…