Cape Town - Police Minister Bheki Cele has promised to clamp down on criminals after 24 police officers were killed in the first three months of the year.
He described the killing of these officers as a national crisis.
Cele said on Friday that this was intolerable and government would need to act against criminals.
He said the murder of so many police officers threatened the peace and stability of the nation. He said out of the 24 police officers killed, 11 of them were on duty.
“Today I wish to start my address by highlighting a crisis that is unfolding and has the potential to threaten the country’s peace and stability. The death of SAPS members at the hands of callous, heartless and brazen criminals. In the first three months of this year, 24 police were killed.
“Eleven of them were killed on duty while preventing, combating or solving a crime. Some were attacked or ambushed while conducting patrols and their official firearms stolen,” said Cele.
Political Bureau