Cele takes tough stance on crime
Promises to fight violent lawbreakers
IN HIS first public address as Police Minister, Bheki Cele told families of five slain Ngcobo police officers and a soldier that members of the police force would be provided with “the tools of the trade” to take on violent criminals.
He told the mourners at the memorial service that Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act empowered law enforcement officers faced with a life-or-death threat to use “maximum force” to protect themselves.
He praised a task team which killed seven suspects and arrested others.
“We don’t like doing it as police, but if you bring it we will be there, even if it means going toe-to-toe.”
Distraught families of the five police members and the off-duty soldier, massacred last week, pleaded with government to pay police officers decent salaries to stop them from joining forces with criminals.
In an act that left the nation reeling in abhorrence, the five officers from the Ngcobo police station were mowed down by armed gunmen who ambushed their police station.
The five officers have since been identified as Warrant Officer Zuko Mbini and Constables Zuko Ntsheku, Nkosiphendule Pongco, Kuhle Mateta and Sibongiseni Sandlana, while the off-duty soldier was identified as Freddy Mpandeni.
Subsequently, seven suspects were killed during a gun battle between a highly trained task force and the suspected gunmen at the controversial Seven Angels Ministries Church run by the Mancoba brothers.
The families of the five slain officers, speaking during a moving memorial service, said it was high time the state paid the police adequate salaries to lower the incentive to collude with criminals.
Also present were national Police Commissioner General Khehla Sithole and his Eastern Cape counterpart Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, ANC provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane, Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle, Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa, transport MEC Weziwe Tikana and sports, recreation, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina.
Mbini family relative and former Unitra Community Radio station manager Phumzile Gabada told the top police officers and politicians: “We, as the grieving families, have three demands. The children of the victims must be helped with education, we want to see their killers prosecuted, and government must increase the salaries of the police.”
Mpandeni’s second-born son, Ncedo Mpandeni, told the state officials: “Government, please don’t fail us!”
Pongco’s uncle, Xolile, said his slain nephew had loved his family very much. His death had shattered the family.
Ntsheku’s aunt, Nomabhengu Ntsheku, said her nephew was a breadwinner for the family.
[The sun has set midday for our family].”
Mateta’s relative, Julius Mateta, said the slain officer had lived for policing. Although his family had sent him to university to study IT, he had dropped out saying he only wanted to be a policeman.
Sandlana’s relative, Zibonele Sandlana, thanked the government for holding a memorial service in honour of the five officers.
Cele, whose appointment was announced on Monday night, praised the police for killing the seven suspects and arresting others but stressed the need to empower officers to take care of themselves in the face of attacks by criminals.
“In school, teachers are given chalk and doctors are given stethoscopes. We must make sure that we provide the tools of the trade for police officers. You did a good job [killing those suspects]. If you are called to do the same, please do it.”
Masualle told the families that their loss was felt by the whole nation.
Popcru national president Zizamele Cebekhulu said it was not fair that suspects in the killing of police were afforded free legal aid by the state. “We wave our families goodbye in the morning but the reality is we are not sure if we are going to come back,” he said.
Eastern Cape provincial Community Policing Forum chairman Sicelo Gqwetha praised Ngcobo residents for coming forward with information that helped track down the killers of the five police members.
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