Police Minister Bheki Cele says his department will not allow the country to be turned into a criminals’ den. He was addressing residents of West Village in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, on Saturday.
His crime imbizo with the residents of the area followed the gang-rape of eight women allegedly by illegal miners last week. Following the rape incident in the area, the residents including those from Kagiso, embarked on a protest, burning property that they believed the illegal miners lived in.
Cele says women and children should feel safe in the country.
“Allow women to sleep peacefully with their kids. Allow children to be children and go play outside. Allow women to own their bodies and do what they want with their bodies, not what they are forced to do with their bodies.”
Ministerial Crime Combating Imbizo engages residents at West Village, Krugersdorp
Promise to stabilise the West Rand
Cele has promised to bring stability to the West Rand.
Cele says South Africa cannot be turned into a prison.
However, some residents were despondent about the Minister’s visit saying there is no point as the situation they are faced with currently has been ongoing for seven years and that the police have not done anything thus far and they live in constant fear.
