Cape Town - Police Minister Bheki Cele has issued a stern warning to criminals planning on breaking the law this festive season.
Cele joined the provincial police management on Tuesday in Mitchells Plain to launch the Safer Festive Season campaign.
From December 15, the province will receive 1 118 of the 10 000 newly recruited police officers.
Cele said the province was one of the three that would receive the larger number of these officers.
With this year’s holiday season operations being held under the theme of “More boots on the ground towards enhanced police visibility”, 16 vehicles were also handed over and would be deployed at different police stations in the province.
Three mobile police stations for the Vrygrond, Dunoon and Zwelitsha communities were also handed over.
Cele called on the police to ensure that they didn’t give criminals space and ensure that communities enjoyed a safe festive season.
He appealed to community-based organisations to assist in the fight against crime.
Cele urged the police to do everything to protect the law-abiding.
He called on police to also protect themselves, stressing the importance of not negotiating with the criminals whom he said had a clear mandate to steal, kill and destroy.
“Today we bring resources to the community while also making a call to them to play a role in ensuring the safety of their areas, especially for children and women,” he said.
Cele guaranteed that the festive plan would ensure the safety of the communities during the festive season.
Provincial community policing forum chairperson Francina Lukas called for more integrated operations and police collaboration with the community in preventing crime.
“As we celebrate the launch of this festive season plan, we are mindful of the crimes that have been plaguing our communities – the murders, extortions, kidnappings, and gangsterism, and we remain resolute in this fight that we will win.
“We have expectations of the police that they always uphold their oath and the victims charter so that there is no secondary victimisation,” she said.
Gift of the Givers director Dr Imtiaz Sooliman who offered a message of support reminded the police of the importance of the service they offer.
He called on corporates and religious organisations to support the police in the fight against crime.