Cele orders officers to protect Cape Town’s women, children ‘at all cost’

Police Minister Bheki Cele has told the 200 officers deployed to the Western Cape that their presence in the province “must yield results”.

Cele was speaking at a parade of the newly deployed officers, who are members of  visible policing, crime intelligence, forensics and detective services. They have been placed in crime hotspots across Cape Town such as Khayelitsha, Delft, Kraaifontein, Nyanga and Philippi East.

“The Western Cape’s high murder rate is simply unacceptable. In the past week and during the [Easter] long weekend, 100 people were killed either by stabbing or were shot dead in this province.

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“It is important that we put the shoulder to the wheel to make sure that the people of this province, especially those living in and around the city of Cape Town, know what peace looks like,” Cele said.

The deployment of the additional @SAPoliceService comes as the WC shows gradual increase of violent crimes especially crimes related to gang violence in the Khayelitsa, Delft, Kraaifontein, Nyanga Harare, Phillips East policing precincts. Minister Cele says criminals must RUN! pic.twitter.com/6g58uXGfi3

— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) April 7, 2021

Cele said these areas were plagued by murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and sexual offences.

“The people of this province are sick and tired of crime and they are relying on you to consistently and effectively flush out criminals. At all cost you must also protect the women and children and most vulnerable,” the minister said.

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