(Photo by Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Nationwide SAPS program to reduce crime is already showing results
News every South African can enjoy.
(Photo by Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
How do you reduce crime in South Africa? This is a question that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been asking itself for years. Under new Minister Bheki Cele, it seems some positive results are emerging.
Crime in South Africa: Can SAPS win the war?
In a statement released on Friday, police officials expressed their satisfaction with how the nationwide stabilisation programme is paying off by reducing crime.
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According to SAPS, cash-in-transit robbers had been more than halved in the month of June compared to May. In the first half of 2018, cash-in-transit heists had become almost a daily occurrence across the country. To make matter worse, they also seemed to be getting more violent.
“These robberies have been reduced significantly by 61% in the month of June 2018 compared to the month of May 2018,” Minister Cele and National Police Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole said in a joint statement.
Since 4 June 2018, over 40 suspects have been arrested. Four of the suspects had been ranked as part of the top 20 criminals who had been identified as repeat offenders with similar crimes.
With positive results coming in, Cele is happy to sing the praises of the men and women in the police force who show commitment and risk their lives.
The minister says that the number of recent arrests is a testament to the SAPS’ commitment to uphold the law and enforce it on the “scourge of cash-in-transit robberies”.
While numbers are declining this week has already seen five cash-in-transit incidents.
Gangs target the vans and ambush them while they are travelling on the highway.
“This was followed by another attempted robbery of a CIT (cash-in-transit) vehicle while travelling toward Umtata, then another on Atlas Road in Boksburg that left one suspect dead and a guard injured.”
Cele urged members of the public to remember that CIT security guards risk their lives to protect the money they transport.
