Police to deploy additional 10 000 officers to bolster festive season operations

As the festive season kicks off, the police ministry has welcomed an additional 10 000 newly trained constables to help ramp up the fight against crime in the country.

The new constables who will be graduating from 13 December 2022, are part of the Project 10 000 police officers initiative.

They will be deployed to various stations, units and service points to bolster capacity and enhance police visibility.

Festive season operations

This comes as the ministry is expected to kick off Festive Season Operations Inspection Roadshow in Limpopo on Monday.

Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said the annual countrywide Festive Season Operations Inspection Roadshow aims to ensure that police are responding effectively and adequately to crime and all safety and security threats this festive season.

The annual provincial tours will see police minister, Bheki Cele, deputy minister of police, Cassel Mathale and the SAPS management led by national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, will inspect SAPS and multi-disciplinary police operations to assess their ability to respond to crime during the festive period and beyond.

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Community engagement

“The ministry and SAPS management will also engage communities on their safety and security as they visit public spaces such as shopping malls, taxi ranks, beaches, parks and other public gathering areas and centres of activities,” Themba said.

The police top brass will also inspect multi-disciplinary police operations put in place in various provinces, and assess their ability to respond to crime during the festive period and beyond.

Deadly Mpumalanga crash

Meanwhile, the festive season got off to a deadly start on Sunday, nine people were killed in a horrific head-on collision between a sedan and a light deliver vehicle on R35 Road between Morgenzon and Amersfoort in Mpumalanga.

According to the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, the crash occurred at around 10pm on Saturday, with the victims, including drivers of both vehicles, were certified dead on the scene.

The department said the cause of the crash was yet to be determined.

Additional reporting by By Sipho Mabena

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