Police Minister Bheki Cele says the police’s decision to retreat when they were being pelted with stones in the Johannesburg CBD last week was not an act of cowardice, but a necessary strategy.
Cele together with Gauteng Premier David Makhura have visited the CBD where police are continuing with their counterfeit goods raids.
Several undocumented foreign nationals have so far been arrested. Police have also discovered unlicensed firearms and also seized large quantities of counterfeit clothing and foot wear.
Minister Cele insists that they will win the battle against crime.
“We have told the country and everybody that it was not as they’ve said that we’re cowards. It was a retreat that was necessary in that particular time. Here, we are and we believe that we’re doing the proper work as SAPS and everybody else here. And we will be winning this battle. It can’t go on like this forever. I want to repeat, we can’t have the co-governance with criminality.”
The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster led by @SAPoliceService will continue to stamp the authority of the State. Law will prevail. #JoburgRaid pic.twitter.com/HfHsWMB0Fp
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) August 7, 2019
Counterfeit goods
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier David Makhura says police had received information from Crime Intelligence that large consignments of counterfeit goods had been delivered at a certain building in town.
Makhura says government needs to tighten security at its ports of entry.
“Last week, the police got information through Crime Intelligence that 30 minibus, kombis delivered counterfeit goods in a particular building; and police organised to go and seize those goods. As the police were being attacked, the counterfeit goods were being moved from the building. So, what was happening last week was to protect … it was an attempt to protect, simply protect the counterfeit goods which were delivered in the building there.”
