Cape Town – Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu says police officers should protect themselves when faced with life-threatening situations, following recent incidents in Kwa-Zulu-Natal and Cape Town where criminals were fatally shot by police.
Speaking after an ANC NEC briefing on crime and police matters in Boksburg on Tuesday, Mchunu clarified that police are not aiming to kill but will respond with force if fired upon by criminals.
He defended officers involved in incidents, including a shootout during a cash-in-transit heist, saying it is their duty to intercept crime.
“They defend themselves when they act and prevent them by shooting at them. We come forward, but we say nothing about communities that, from time to time, fall victim to such killing gangs.
SENZO MCHUNU – SAPS MINISTER
KZN Police are doing what is needed in confronting criminals head on.
We can’t be complaining about everything.
You complain about the high rates of crime and condemn the police for not acting.
They defend themselves when they act and prevent… pic.twitter.com/LL0ptCgczG
— Constitution First 🇿🇦 (@Constitution_94) August 7, 2024
“We want to send a message out there to gangs and individuals: if you shoot at police, you must not expect that police will not respond. They need to defend themselves.
“Police are humans, they are not stones. They are fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. They can’t just give themselves up to criminals. They need to survive so they can defend the community against another criminal tomorrow,” Mchunu said.
Police minister and member of ANC NEC subcommittee on safety and security Senzo Mchunu defends police following recent shooting incidents in which suspected criminals were killed by officers pic.twitter.com/X7U2IB0XSY
— Kgaogelo Magolego (@ThisKg) August 6, 2024
The statement came in response to recent violent encounters: a July operation in KwaZulu-Natal resulted in the deaths of nine suspects linked to murder and robbery, while a sting operation in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, led to eight fatalities among suspected cash-in-transit robbers, with firearms and vehicles seized.
These incidents were central to ongoing national crime control discussions.
Mchunu acknowledged that while crime was somewhat managed, it remained a major concern.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
