Police Minister Bheki Cele has ordered officers in the Western Cape to shut down all illegal and non-compliant shebeen operations within the next 48 hours. He was speaking at an imbizo held at Thembalethu in George.
Cele says shebeens are one of the major contributing factors to crime.
“Shebeens are centres of crime. There should be no shebeen running minus certificates, minus permits. Those running shebeens without any piece of papers must be shut. I gave them 48 hours. Those that are not complying but have papers must also be shut. There are things that must not happen in shebeens, never find under 18s in shebeens. “
#PoliceMinistry Minister of Police, #BhekiCele and Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lt Gen Jula visited a roadblock on the N2 in George earlier this am. #PoliceVisibility #EasterHolidays ME pic.twitter.com/1twmlVM5zx
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 29, 2019
Cele has called on police officials to make the protection of women, children and the elderly their priority. He says police officials often tell victims of sexual offences to sort out the issue.
Cele says this is against police officials’ constitutional obligation to protect victims. “Members of SAPS especially the females must feel safe when they’re with their colleagues doing their duties. But the emphasis today was also on the safety of women, elderly and children, as is the theme that even the president was running yesterday as he was opening the court in Booysen.”
Residents of Thembalethu and Conville say they want their local police to be more visible and efficient
“If I report at the police station they must respond immediately. They take time, must wait for the van, so they must not wait if we report there. They have to be more visible in the community, Friday and Saturday nights, with the neighbourhood watch. It will make us feel safer. “
#PoliceMinistry Minister of Police, #BhekiCele in Thembalethu, George for a community engagement (#Imbizo) under the theme; enhancing #Policing and building #CommunityRelations ME pic.twitter.com/UNfqBJoTPi
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 29, 2019
