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Durban – KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the provincial government did not believe that the police were in a bloody war. This follows the recent shooting incidents between the police and suspects.
“Many police have been shot and killed and the police who have been shot while trying to make arrests,” she said.
She said the government could not afford to have any police officer dying trying to protect the province and the country. “I do believe that all of us need to work hard in ensuring that we protect the police against criminals but also the police need to protect themselves when they are under attack,” said Dube-Ncube.
The KZN police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, said criminals should behave themselves and not abuse anyone. “If you know that you have committed a crime, come to the police and we will take you to court and see how it punishes you or forgives you,” said Mkhwanazi.
He said if criminals couldn’t do that the police would look for and find them. He said he hoped that when they were found they would not take up weapons and fight. “If they do that they would be starting a war and I do not think that they are prepared to be fighting with the government,” he said.
ANC KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo said recently that the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) welcomed the firm hand used by the police against criminals who had been terrorising communities in Inanda.
“An integrated approach involving intelligence officers, Hawks, National Intervention Unit (NIU) and private security is in line with the resolutions of the ANC adopted during our lekgotla held in February this year,” he said.
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