Despite police promising that security will be beefed up during the festive season, especially at malls, they are reluctant to say how much manpower and what plans are in place.
The response is the same from major shopping malls in and around the capital.
The promises came after malls across the city fell prey to gangs of armed robbers.
In the past month at least five city malls were attacked in separate incidents with robbers attacking jewellery stores and banks and hijacking motorists in attempts to escape with their loot.
Shopping centres among those attacked recently include Menlyn Park Shopping Centre and Menlyn Retail Park, where gangs of up to 12 robbers launched attacks on customers, staff and motorists. At The Grove, a jewellery shop was attacked last week and a jewellery store in Kolonnade shopping centre was attacked nearly three weeks ago.
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Despite a list of questions being sent to police, senior officers from the national police commissioner's office were reluctant to reveal their plans for the festive season.
But yesterday, after a break-in at the Protea Coin Group's cash depot in Nirvana, Polokwane, during which robbers opened fire on police, who shot back killing seven, Police Commissioner Bheki Cele said in a statement: "With the festive season upon us, we are bound to see more people try their luck. But we are ready to ensure that our people are not held to ransom by criminals and violent thugs."
Also mentioning a recent incident in Kuilsriver in the Western Cape where four suspects were shot dead and another arrested, Cele said: "We are slowly beginning to turn the tables on criminals. Police are ready and will respond accordingly to save life and limb. This is a warning to anyone out there who is willing to test our resolve that they will lose."
National police spokesman Director Phuti Setati said the police would maintain a high visibility at not only shopping centres, "but also at other strategic points".
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