Pretoria - With the festive season fast approaching, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says police will be out in full force to ensure a safe holiday.
“The fundamental aim of our government is to build a society where all law-abiding citizens will enjoy dignified and safe lives,” said Mthethwa on Tuesday.
His comment comes as the South African Police Service (SAPS) is busy with their Duty Calls Festive Season campaign, which will end on 31 January 2014.
The campaign focuses on increased police visibility through intensifying policing around aggravated robberies, border security, illegal firearms, liquor and Second Hand Goods Act enforcement, by-law enforcements, road safety enforcement and violence against women, children and the elderly.
Already their work has yielded results, with police succeeding in busting drug syndicates and confiscating drugs worth over R75 million in Gauteng and R41 million in KwaZulu-Natal.
Police also arrested Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir’s and his accomplices after several of his associates were killed in separate incidents in Bedfordview, east of Johannesburg.
Police have also arrested a 40-year-old suspect linked to the murder of top forensic auditor Lawrence Moepi, while also arresting thousands of suspects for various crimes across the country.
Mthethwa attributed some of the recent successes to an integrated approach amongst the different units within the SAPS, adding that these successes were reflective of the SAPS capability and strength to thwart criminality.
He also attributed these to the assistance of communities.
“Such successes underscore the point we have been making that partnerships are central pillars of our crime reduction programme. On the occasion of our Duty Calls Festive Season national launch, we made a clarion call to citizens to obey the law; seemingly some did not heed our warning.”
The minister expressed gratitude to all the police across the country to continue to work harder and smarter.
“We are on the right path. The tide against crime is turning; citizens and government are now having an upper hand. We dare not become complacent and say our work is complete but must all be motivated to do more,” added the minister. – SAnews.gov.za
