GAUTENG – As the country celebrated 16 December, Day of Reconciliation, Gauteng Police were out in full force stamping the authority of the state in Gauteng. Police operations were the order of the day as the Safer festive Season Inspection Tour headed to Kagiso in the West Rand.
The third installation of the annual Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour saw police Minister General Bheki Cele and his deputy, Cassel Mathale, alongside National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Khehla Sitole, and his management team, monitor heightened crime prevention and combatting police operations, activated for the festive period.
The increase in Illegal mining in the West Rand area is setting back the country’s economy by billions of rand and claiming lives through underground wars. The SAPS management in the province has assured the ministry that an operational plan to shift resources to counter this kind of criminality is in place and gaining momentum.
Minister Cele has called on police to act swiftly on illegal mining by so called ama Zama Zama and make arrests whilst at the same time, taking away the firearms used in eliminating competition in the fight over stolen minerals. Cele has also called on police to have a zero tolerance approach to those who harm women and children and those who are terrorising communities through fear crimes.
“Cash-in-Transit heists, car- jackings and home invasions remain some of the crimes most feared by South Africans and we know there will be increased attempts of these type of crimes during this holiday season. This is why Gauteng police are shifting resources to counter these violent acts. Each day officers must, through their actions, send a strong message to criminals that these callous acts don’t have a space in our society.”
Cele has urged police to go into the festive season with caution and agility.
“Police must use all available resources at their disposal to root out violent crime in communities and intercept would-be-gangs or anyone with the intent to create lawlessness; going into the peak of the festive season, officers must be mindful that they are mandated by the law to protect lives and property, at all costs.”
The Police Ministry has been assured that interventions in place by the SAPS in the Gauteng Province, will contribute towards a safe festive season for all those who will be in the province that also boasts the country’s economic hub.
The Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour continues on Friday in the Free State Province.
Source: South African Police Service