National Police Minister Bheki Cele says police officers must have sufficient resources to fight crime. Cele says police must also be mentally and physically capable to fight back because it appears that criminals are targeting police.
He was speaking at the funeral of a police officer killed in Stanger, outside Durban last week.
Captain Dumisani Mhlanzi is one of 11 officers killed in the past two weeks, seven of whom died in the line of duty.
Mhlanzi was gunned down, during a business robbery in Stanger. Having served on the force for 32 years, the 56-year-old officer was set to retire in June. His family wants justice.
“We are appealing to the law makers and Parliament to review our laws. At the moment they protect the criminals and not the innocent. A criminal has more rights than us. We want those responsible brought to book,” said the deceased’s brother, Sipho Mhlanzi.
Police officials say criminals have declared war on the police and it is time for them to fight back.
The Police Minister says the servicemen must not fear the system. He said they too have a right to defend themselves and the public.
Cele added that among his first tasks will be to fill a number of senior vacant positions like that of the Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal.
He also stressed the importance for the police to solve priority cases which remain unsolved including that of late Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates player Senzo Meyiwa.
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