Police Minister Bheki Cele has instructed police to be merciless to abusers and not dismiss women that want to open cases against their alleged abusers.
Cele, who is in Kimberley for his festive season campaign, says it is not the duty of the police to advise victims to negotiate with the perpetrators or question their role in the abuse.
The Minister says police must make sure that perpetrators fear them.
“You are instructed to go protect women especially male officers you go protect women. Be hard, be tough and heartless against women abusers. When a woman comes to report that she has been abused, you send her back, she comes back for the second time, you send her back, she will not come back for the third time because she will be dead.”
Cele was joined by the top management of police and the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, MEC Vilakazi, conducting a walkabout as part of his Safer Festive Season assessment tour.
#PoliceMinistry N/Cape, Kimberley: Joined by the top management of #SAPS and the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, MEC Vilakazi, Minister of Police, Gen #BhekiCele conducting a walkabout as part of his #SaferFestiveSeason assessment tour. #PoliceVisibility #ZizojikaIzinto ME pic.twitter.com/dfo4qHpDtF
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) December 22, 2019
‘Parents to be vigilant and safeguard their children’
Police in KwaZulu Natal are urging all parents to be vigilant and safeguard their children this festive season. This as a 29-year old man has been arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a toddler at a shopping mall in Umhlanga.
The child was with his grandmother at the time of the incident.
After realising the child was missing the woman then spotted the man, wearing a security uniform, carrying the child into one of the stores. She then grabbed the child from his arms and alerted mall management who in turn called the police.
The man fled the scene and police launched a manhunt after identifying him as one of the mall’s security guards via CCTV footage.
Police spokesperson Jay Naicker says the suspect will appear in the Verulam Magistrates Court on Monday.
Meanwhile, more than 70 drivers have been arrested for suspected drunken driving over the weekend in Durban. The arrests were made at various roadblocks within the city.
Durban Metro police spokesperson Parboo Sewparsad says it is concerning that drunken driving appears to be on the increase this festive season.
“We have noted that alcohol abuse whilst driving is still a problem and it’s a concern. We have also noticed that people are carrying or patrons to the beaches in their cooler bags.”
