In a period of two weeks, police succeeded in busting drug syndicates and confiscated drugs worth over R150 million in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal respectively.  Police arrested Radovan Krejcir and his accomplices.  Police arrested a 40-year old suspect linked to the murder of top forensic auditor Lawrence Moepi.  Thousands of suspects were arrested for various crimes over the weekend in various crime blitzes across the country. 

These above-mentioned successes are but some of the indications that the Duty Calls Festive Season campaign is having an impact, in ensuring that South Africans enjoy a safe and secure festive season.  This is according to the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa as he reflected at a high level on the impact of the recent police operations countrywide.
The operations officially began on 15 October 2013 and will end on 31 January 2014.  These are focused on increased police visibility through intensifying policing around aggravated robberies, border security, illegal firearms, liquor and Second Hand Goods Act enforcement, by-law enforcements, road safety enforcement and violence against women, children and the elderly. 
“Police have scored some victories in the fight against crime and continue to do so daily, with the assistance of communities.  Such successes underscore the point we have been making that partnerships are central pillars of our crime reduction programme.  On the occasion of our Duty Calls Festive Season national launch, we made a clarion call to citizens to obey the law; seemingly some did not heed our warning.”

“Quite clearly crime does not pay or benefit anyone who breaks the law and these recent incidents are demonstrative of our resolve to apprehend any wrongdoers.  We urge all law abiding citizens not to become examples for bad conduct thus ending up surrendering their freedoms for prison lives,” stated Minister Mthethwa.

He attributed some of the recent successes to an integrated approach amongst the different units within South African Police Service (SAPS), adding that these successes are reflective of the SAPS capability and strength to thwart criminality.

“The fundamental aim of our government is to build a society where all law-abiding citizens will enjoy dignified and safe lives. However the acts of criminality including proliferation of firearms, rapes of women, children and the elderly, house robberies, hijackings and other forms of crimes; stand in direct opposite of an achievement of this goal.”

The Minister expressed gratitude to all the police across the country to continue to work harder and smarter.  “We are on the right path.  The tide against criminals is turning; citizens and government are now having an upper hand.  We dare not become complacent and say our work is complete but must all be motivated to do more.  To the criminals out there we are saying washa tsotsi!” concluded the Minister.

Zweli Mnisi
Spokesperson to the Minister of Police
Ministry of Police
Mobile: +27 (0)82 045 4024