Lungani Zungu
The ongoing fighting between Police Minister Bheki Cele and national commissioner Khehla Sitole has been blamed for the major increase in crime between April and June.
Cele announced over the weekend that contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder and sexual offences had increased by 60% between 1 April and 30 June 2021.
Compared to the normal period of the 2019/2020 financial year (before lockdown), murder has increased by 6,7% in the second quarter of 2021.
He said that 5,760 people were killed during this period.
Thandi Mkhize, South African Policing Union acting president, launched a thunderous tirade on Sitole and Cele for the “outrageous” increases in crime.
“Service delivery has been compromised almost to a level beyond repair while commissioner Sitole and minister Cele have been engaging in a tug of war,” said Mkhize. Sapu has more than 80,000 members.
Mkhize accused Cele of focusing on operational matters instead of improving the working condition of police.
“What is Minister Bheki Cele going to do to reduce these unacceptable and outrageous increases in crime?” asked Mkhize.
The feud between Cele and Sitole had hampered the police morale and caused division in the sector, she said.
The divisions were evident from the top brass down to what she termed the foot soldiers.
“It is difficult for us to fight crime if we are divided. That is why we see this huge increase in crime which is unacceptable.”
She pleaded with President Ramaphosa to intervene and revive the morale of the police by ending the infighting between those supporting Cele and Sitole.
The union wrote to Ramaphosa in April asking him to stop the feuding between Cele and Sitole.
Image source: @SAPoliceService
