DURBAN - POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has warned residents in KwaZulu-Natal to respect the curfew during the holidays or risk spending the festive season behind bars.
Cele was speaking at the safer festive season inspection tour in uMlazi yesterday. He said people who do not respect the curfew time would face the consequences as the number of people affected by Covid19 was rising in the province.
As the country is on lockdown alert level 1, the curfew is from midnight to 4am.
He asked the police to do their jobs this festive season and protect vulnerable members of the public.
“Police must take serious care of women, children, the elderly and people living with disabilities during this time. Officers who fail to do this do not belong in the SAPS,” he said.
Cele also warned people about disrupting major highways like the N3, saying they would face the full might of the law. He said officers would be deployed across the province during the holidays.
He condemned crime, especially rape taking place in Inanda and uMlazi, saying these two Durban townships account for the lion’s share of crime that happens in the country. He also urged law enforcement officers to help victims of abuse when they report the crimes.
“When women come to you as an officer to report crime, do not send them back to negotiate with the perpetrator,” he said.
He added that communities need to play a role in assisting the law enforcement officers by reporting crime and exposing criminals.
“Statistics show that most women who have been raped either know the perpetrator or they have been into their homes. Families must not support perpetrators and negotiate with them,” Cele said, adding that families needed to take victims seriously when they confide in them and give them support.
He said police should not be among those breaking the law because that was tarnishing their image and the hard work done.
Cele also encouraged police officers to protect themselves if they felt that their lives were in danger.
THE MERCURY