Police to focus on liquor outlets, borders and GBV during festive season - Masemola
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said the South African Police Service has identified eight key areas it needs to focus on during the upcoming festive season.
Speaking at the launch of the police’s festive season anti-crime campaign in the Western Cape on Friday, Masemola said this will ensure the safety of all South Africans.
"All law enforcement agencies won't go on holidays. We will be working, ensuring that those that are on holiday have peaceful holidays without crime,” he said.
The focus areas include:
Gender-Based Violence
Masemola says police will combat and investigate all incidents that are related to gender-based violence and femicide.
He says GBV perpetrators will be brought to book.
Aggravated Robberies
"Robberies, like the sudden upsurge of cash-in-transit heists and all other robberies. This area also includes all those that are wanted for these kinds of crimes.”
Masemola promised Police Minister Bheki Cele that all the suspects involved in the recent spate of CIT heists will be arrested.
"We went back to the drawing board after the upsurge of CITs, and we have commanded our teams to go out there and find these criminals. We will ensure that we fight this crime".
"We are hunting everyone that was involved in the CIT heists, and we are going to get all of them. It does not matter in what condition they are in; I guarantee you we will get all of them," said Masemola.
Illegal Mining
"We are going to focus on a problem that also became a scourge in our country, which is illegal mining,” Masemola promised.
“We already have teams that are working with the Department of Home Affairs. We will protect those communities located in those illegal mining areas. We will arrest those that are involved in illicit mining.”
Border Security
"All those that are coming in and out of the country will be protected. We will ensure no one carries stolen or unwanted goods in our country,” said Masemola.
"We are going to increase our forces at the ports of entry to monitor what goes in and out of the country," he said.
Liquor Outlet Curfews
Masemola says they will monitor the closing times of liquor outlets.
"Limpopo province is one of those provinces that have moved forward by bringing more stringent restrictions in terms of controlling the sale of liquor by reducing the hours, and as the SAPS, we support that".
Masemola also warned South Africans to expect more roadblocks during December.
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