Johannesburg – More than 3000 arrests have been made during 2007 and 2014 as a direct result of tip-offs received via Crime Stop and Crime Line combined.
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega made the announcement on Monday during the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Primedia.
In 2007, SAPS and the Primedia Group entered into a MOU through which Crime Line, the anonymous tip-off line, was formed.
Crime Line receives tip-offs on criminal activities from members of the public which are then sent through to the SAPS’s Crime Stop and further action is taken by the SAPS.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Sandton, Phiyega said the updated and renewed MOU will lead to an even firmer partnership and re-invigorated efforts to tackle the criminal element, in unity.
She said the relationship between the two entities has grown over the past seven years, adding that the working relationship between Crime Stop and Crime Line offices has strengthened.
Phiyega said to date, over R56 million worth of illegal or unlawfully obtained property and goods have been seized.
“In addition, as a result of the Drug Watch campaign conducted in Gauteng and the Western Cape, approximately 30 000 people have been taken into custody.
“Under the electricity theft campaign, Operation Khanyisa, 2 829 Eskom cases have been solved,” she said.
Phiyega thanked each and every whistle blower and police officer for their part in the fight against crime.
“Let’s not forget that sometimes responding to an anonymous tip-off can be just as, if not more, dangerous than responding to, for example, a bank robbery in progress because you have no idea what is awaiting you at that house, in that car in that isolated area.”
She further urged whistle blowers to consider reporting on the brutal murder of police officers as well as corrupt police officers, who are involved in criminal activity via the Crime Stop or Crime Line numbers.
Head of Crime Line Yusuf Abramjee reiterated that police needed communities to be their eyes and ears, while the communities need the police to act on their information and place criminals behind bars.
“This model is being used successfully all over the world, but it is without a doubt that South Africa is leading the way. We are planning to take this model to all parts of our continent. We deal with highly organized groups that are not confined by bureaucracy, red tape of the law…. we need to beat them at their own game.”
Primedia CEO Roger Jardine emphasised that Crime Line plays a major role in creating more certainty in the mind of a criminal that he or she will be caught because of a more active citizenry.
“The National Development Plan calls for an active citizenry. Primedia squarely aligns itself with the score in support for Crime Line, Lead SA and other major initiatives that foster social cohesion in our society.” - SAnews.gov.za
