At an online panel discussion organised by Defend Our Democracy, Cosatu General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali backed the South African Council of Churches’ recommendation for looters to be granted amnesty.
At an online panel discussion on Thursday, Cosatu General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said that “people stealing bread can’t be treated the same way as those stealing TVs” and should be considered for amnesty.
Ntshalintshali was speaking at Defend Our Democracy’s online discussion on the violence and looting which has unfolded in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng over the past few days.
Ntshalintshali’s comment comes after a South African Council of Churches (SACC) briefing earlier on Thursday where General Secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana recommended that those who have looted be granted amnesty.
“Churches wish to encourage people who have looted to attempt to return things they stole, by delivering them at the nearest police stations. We do not expect a large-scale uptake of this, but we know that it is already in consideration in certain communities. The SACC requests the police to declare an amnesty for a period, say a week or two, during which time anyone who returns goods will not be prosecuted,” reads the SACC’s statement.
Ntshalintshali said the state should be…