News / Local
Minister in bizarre police spikes denial
16 Feb 2017 at 00:36hrs | Views
Home Affairs deputy minister Obedingwa Mguni has made a bizarre denial that traffic police officers do not throw spikes under vehicles.
Police officers routinely throw spikes at commuter omnibuses to deflate tyres and causing accidents in some instances.
However, deputy minister Obedingwa Mguni told parliament that no police officers uses the spikes despite police officers being armed with the spikes at any roadblock.
He was responding to MDC MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga who had asked saying "I direct my new question to the Minister of Home Affairs.
" I would like him to clarify to us on the issue of police officers who move around carrying piercing metal objects which are called 'spikes', in English that they throw under vehicles.
" We realise that this has become a problem so many times. I would like the Minister to clarify to the House which law or policy the police use to throw these objects? I thank you".
In response, Mguni said "I wish to state that police officers do not throw spikes under any car that is moving around because I heard the Hon. Member saying that they throw spikes under vehicles. No, they do not throw under any car" he said as quoted by the Parliamentary Hansard.
"The police officers have many and varied ways, using their Act, which they use in order to stop criminals. For example, a gunshot can be fired in the air – just one bullet. It can also happen that in the Act it was specified that a warning shot can be fired in the air in order to stop a criminal.
"That is an operation that is done in order to stop criminal activities that happen in this country".
Spike strips, also known as stingers, are used by police forces worldwide to immobilise vehicles by puncturing tyres.
The stinger is composed of a collection of metal barbs or spikes pointing upward.
Some police forces use hollow barbs which becoming embedded in the tyres and allow air to escape steadily in a bid to avoid a sudden flattening of tyres which can increase the risk of drivers crashing.
Police officers routinely throw spikes at commuter omnibuses to deflate tyres and causing accidents in some instances.
However, deputy minister Obedingwa Mguni told parliament that no police officers uses the spikes despite police officers being armed with the spikes at any roadblock.
He was responding to MDC MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga who had asked saying "I direct my new question to the Minister of Home Affairs.
" I would like him to clarify to us on the issue of police officers who move around carrying piercing metal objects which are called 'spikes', in English that they throw under vehicles.
In response, Mguni said "I wish to state that police officers do not throw spikes under any car that is moving around because I heard the Hon. Member saying that they throw spikes under vehicles. No, they do not throw under any car" he said as quoted by the Parliamentary Hansard.
"The police officers have many and varied ways, using their Act, which they use in order to stop criminals. For example, a gunshot can be fired in the air – just one bullet. It can also happen that in the Act it was specified that a warning shot can be fired in the air in order to stop a criminal.
"That is an operation that is done in order to stop criminal activities that happen in this country".
Spike strips, also known as stingers, are used by police forces worldwide to immobilise vehicles by puncturing tyres.
The stinger is composed of a collection of metal barbs or spikes pointing upward.
Some police forces use hollow barbs which becoming embedded in the tyres and allow air to escape steadily in a bid to avoid a sudden flattening of tyres which can increase the risk of drivers crashing.
Source - Byo24News
