Cele: ‘Be unkind’ to abusers
Police Minister Bheki Cele says there can be no mercy on those who abuse women and children during the national lockdown.
Cele addressed residents during a police operation in Secunda in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
Police said over the weekend that preliminary crimes statistics show that 2 300 gender-based violence calls were registered since the lockdown came into effect.
A total of 148 suspects have been charged.
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Cele says there needs to be a rapid response to calls and complaints about gender-based violence.
"The information we have is that behind those closed doors there are people who have taken the chance of abusing women and children.Please, when the call is made that there is an abuse there, respond quick.
"Don't be nice to people who abuse women and children, be unkind to those people. That is the call we make," Cele added.
He added that that he would prefer to permanently prohibit the sale of alcohol.
"I'm told there are two things that are giving these good. It's your presence and lack of something called alcohol.
“I just hope that one day there shall be no liquor. Well, I don't run the country."