JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Manny de Freitas on Wednesday said the murder of a German tourist, who was killed in Mpumalanga, could have been avoided if the government was doing its job.
The tourist was on his way to a lodge when he was shot and killed during an attempted hijacking on Monday.
De Freitas said police should prioritise the safety of tourists as such criminal incidents can negatively affect our tourism sector.
The MP said the murder of the tourist made headlines in Germany adding that it was likely to cause a dip in tourism from the European country.
Germany was one of South Africa's major tourism markets and the lack of police presence at tourist attractions was concerning, de Freitas added.
He urged the ministries of police and tourism to implement safety measures that would guarantee tourists’ safety.
“The ministers must ensure South Africans that they are doing everything they can in their power to prevent a repetition of this tragedy.”
De Freitas added that the murder was a result of the police's inability to fulfill their basic mandate.
