Police must use maximum force when dealing with violent criminals in order to protect themselves and the public, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Wednesday.
He was speaking at the graduation ceremony of senior management officers who completed an executive development programme in Pretoria.
”We cannot continue to bury police members who have been killed by criminals. If they kill us we are going to go after them,” he said.
Nqakula congratulated the graduates and warned them that they will be held accountable for anything that goes wrong in their provinces.
The 165 graduates came from all nine provinces.
The minister encouraged them to improve sector policing, saying there is a need to cover the streets as this makes people feel secure.
Attention is also needed at borders to stop foreigners from coming into South Africa illegally.
Nqakula also said the media must ask for evidence whenever someone approaches them with information.
”The media must not allow themselves to be used as a medium to exploit slander. They should always ask for evidence,” Nqakula said, as there many people who had ”their own agendas”.
Nqakula maintained that crime levels are decreasing.
He said between July 15 and November 15, more than 3 000 hardened criminals were arrested across the country. Between July and August another 85 people involved in organised crimes were arrested and were linked to 400 cases.
The reason why people think that crime is high in South Africa is because the crimes are violent, he said.
”To solve this we must deal with those who would want to kill our people.”
He said people had the power to expose criminals by working side by side with the police. — Sapa