Lerato Mbhiza
Police Minister Bheki Cele said that the recruitment of 10,000 new police officers would help improve police visibility over the festive season.
The officers are set to formally join the police service from Friday after completing their training in the recruitment programme, Project 10K.
Cele was briefing the media on law enforcement-related matters in Pretoria on Sunday, where he also outlined the successes of Operation Shanela.
He said that there would be more boots on the ground to help fight crime this holiday season.
“These officers will be deployed to sanitise the streets and increase the footprint of police in all nine provinces. Their deployment will be prioritised especially in high crowd zones and places of entertainment this holiday season.
“As the Ministry, we have always maintained that high police visibility remains one of the most powerful arsenals for the SAPS, in the prevention of crime.
“Over time and with guidance, these officers will no doubt be a valuable addition to the service and build on to the capacity of the service.
“They have been hard at work in perfecting street survival courses, firearm, law and physical training during their completion of the Basic Police Development Learning Program.
“We have no doubt, the new members will provide a much-needed boost to the current policing numbers and amplify our law enforcing efforts.
“These officers will be deployed to sanitize the streets and increase the footprint of the police in all nine provinces.
“As the Ministry, we have always maintained that high police visibility remains one of the most powerful arsenals for the SAPS, in the prevention of crime.
“Over time and with guidance, these officers will no doubt be a valuable addition to the service and build on to the capacity of the service”.
Cele added that Over 3 200 firearms including 2 500 handguns and 300 rifles have been taken off the streets through Operation Shenela. More than 49 000 rounds of different variations of ammunition have also been seized by the police, he said.
However, Cele said the Ministry remains deeply concerned about the number of women, children and vulnerable groups who continue to lose their lives at the hands of callous criminals.
“Just yesterday, we attended the funeral service of 16-year-old Machaka Radebe in Bloemfontein. Radebe was the fourth young female to go missing in Bloemfontein in the past month.
28-year-old Kelebogile Seramone’s body was found on the 23rd of October 2023 while 23-year-old Lerato Masiu and 22 year old Mamello Motaung are still missing.
“The Provincial Commissioner of the Free State has assembled a dedicated team of detectives to investigate all these cases and has mobilised all the necessary resources and intensified all efforts to apprehend the killers and kidnappers of these young women” he said.
INSIDE POLITICS
