POTCHEFSTROOM - The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, condemned in the strongest possible terms an incident doing the rounds on social media platforms. In the video, approximately five men can be seen attempting to either rob the victim or hijack his white SUV vehicle in the Klerksdorp Central Business District (CBD). The man, armed with what appeared to be a knife, courageously fought back until the men gave up.

At this stage, no case docket has been opened as the victim refuses to open it. Sadly, this is the second incident wherein the complainant refused to open a case. In an similar incident that occurred in May, the complainant also refused to open a case even though the suspects, who allegedly robbed him, were identified.

In another separate incident that is recirculating on social media platforms, a police officer stationed at Klerksdorp can be seen grappling with a group of males on Wednesday, 13 July 2022 in the Klerksdorp CBD. The officer had to take out his firearm to scare away the apparent attackers, who hurled insults at him. Subsequent to the incident, a case of assault and crimen injuria was registered and a suspect was arrested. However, the case was not enrolled pending further investigation.

The Provincial Commissioner expressed his displeasure of incidents such as these. He indicated that deployment through various operations including visible patrols in the Klerksdorp CBD, is a priority for Provincial and District management to ensure the safety of the community. The General also urged the community to work together with the police in the fight against crime through recognised structures. Moreover, he emphasised the importance of registering cases when these incidents occur to ensure that perpetrators are identified and brought to book.

Source: South African Police Service