Staff Reporter
Police Minister General Bheki Cele has told the police not to ask women who report cases of gender-based violence go home and negotiate with perpetrators as it could put their lives in danger.
He said this when he visited Bloemfontein on Saturday as part of his countrywide campaign to check on the preparedness of different provinces to deal with crime over the festive period.
“Once a woman reports being abused . . . you don’t tell that woman to go home and negotiate,” said a stern Cele.
The minister said when the woman goes back home, it might be the last time that woman might be seen again because the perpetrator would take advantage of her and abuse her further or even kill her.
“When they report it at the police station, you jump. You stop all the other stuff and deal with the matter of the abuse of women and children. That must be a priority as well as other forms of sexual offences,” he said.
“You’re not negotiators. It’s a clarion call to members of the SA police to take gender-based violence very, very seriously.”
This year’s police campaign is called ‘Operation Tight Grip, Safer Festive Season’.
Cele also repeated his call that the police must always be safe when carrying out their duties and should not allow criminals to put their lives and those of the public in danger.
“You must protect the citizens of South Africa if they are under attack or facing any danger,” he said.
“We are not going to have the police being attacked by criminals. We are not going to have communities being attacked by criminals. The police are not going to fold their hands.
“You must protect their rights. You also have your own rights that you must protect . . . but if your life is under threat as a member of the SA Police Service, you must protect yourself.
“The law has a word there . . . it says you must use deadly force. It’s not me saying so. The word deadly only means one thing.”
The minister also took time to visit different public spaces including taxi ranks, malls and other areas to check on compliance to social distancing and other COVID-19 health protocols.
The provincial police fleet also got a major boost, receiving a further 136 vehicles to ensure improved operations over the festive period.