The justice, crime prevention and security (JCPS) cluster has set its sights on amending the laws to strengthen the work of the police during violent encounters with criminals.
“The JCPS cluster will meet next week to finalise a comprehensive plan in this regard. (Police) Minister Mchunu did present a detailed report to the cabinet yesterday (Wednesday) and next week the JCPS cluster will meet where it will bring all role players – defence, SAPS, intelligence and justice – together to ensure a comprehensive approach,” Deputy President Paul Mashatile told MPs on Thursday.
His remarks come as police have intensified their fight against crime, with daily reports of suspected criminals being shot dead during the exchange of fire with officers.
The latest incident in Mthatha on Wednesday saw a police officer wounded when three suspects wanted over extortion related crimes apparently confronted officers following an operation targeting violent crimes in the area. All three were shot dead.
Mashatile said the fight against crime would now be intelligence-driven and that more resources would be allocated to the intelligence services.
“We don’t want to put more boots on the ground and they go into the dark. We have already discussed that we are going to put a lot of resources behind intelligence,” he said.
While he said the government did not want the police service to be a killing machine, officers should not die with guns in their holsters.
“We want them to use them. In situations where they are confronted by brazen killing criminals, they must use their weapons otherwise they are to die. We can’t continue with police being killed when they have got guns,” he said.
Mashatile recently led the commemoration of 39 officers killed last year when he learnt that 21 were already killed this year.
“It is quite a serious matter we are going to address.
“We cannot conduct business as usual in the fight against crime because many police officers continue to lose their lives at the hands of the criminals,” he said.
Mchunu had in his executive statement on Tuesday named Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape as carrying 73% of crime levels in the country.
Mashatile said SAPS was implementing a coordinated multidisciplinary response to criminal activities, including a special focus on construction mafias.
Cape Times