Police Minister Bheki Cele has reminded members of the law enforcement agencies deployed in Durban over the festive period – that the townships of Umlazi and Inanda in the north and south of the metro, have among the highest murder and rape statistics in the country.
Inspecting a parade in Umlazi, Cele has reminded officers that they are being deployed to protect the public when people are on holiday.
Cele says victims of rape and gender-based violence should be prioritised, while officers must also enforce COVID 19 regulations – amid the fourth wave of the pandemic.
KwaZulu-Natal province has just more than 18 000 police officers serving more than 11 million people. Cele says more than 1000 additional officers have been deployed in the province for the festive period.
“The country becomes active on the coastal as the year ends, as the people move down the crime also moves down. It is important that law enforcement and government put eyes where people are, we are shifting resources. The Provincial Commissioner did raise the issue that they have more than 1000 members of the South African Police that are coming from other provinces to help here which is the same with other coastal provinces.”
#sabcnews #sabckzn In Pictures Police Min Bheki Cele kicks off his safer festive season operations in KwaZulu-Natal. pic.twitter.com/AahWaOBLba
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) December 23, 2021
Cele also welcomed the deployment of members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to monitor national roads in KwaZulu-Natal.
“But also we need to work on the stability of the province as you know that there were times when the province was not that stable. We are very glad that we have been given the South African Defence Force by the Commander in Chief who is looking in the critical installation especially your road, your N3 that now and again people they think it is a good thing to close. The Provincial Commissioner has all the figures, they are quite good figures along N3 and N2 itself.”
Police Minister Bheki Cele addresses law enforcement officers in Umlazi:
Those who will be enjoying themselves during the festivities have been warned to stick to the curfew and obey COVID 19 protocols.
“But also still working hard on the COVID-19 regulations and protocols, people when they enjoy themselves forget. We will go look at the beach, public drinking that needs to come to an end, illegal shebeens, we will be hard on them, illegal shebeens breaking the law. We want everybody to enjoy within the law.”
Cele also monitored a roadblock on Mangosuthu Highway in Umlazi in the south of Durban, where police arrested two foreign nationals who had allegedly failed to produce permits to be in the country.
