Cop killers must be brought to book

THE ACDP would firstly like to take this opportunity to congratulate the honourable Bheki Cele on his appointment as minister of police.

We wish him well in this critical role and also wish to remind him that, because of his reputation as a tough crime fighter, much will be expected of him to bring down the unacceptably high levels of crime in our country.

The ACDP was deeply saddened by the deaths of those police officers who were killed by violent criminals at Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape last Wednesday night.

On behalf of the ACDP, I wish to convey our sincere condolences to the spouses and family of those loved ones who died so senselessly while serving their communities.

It is heartening to note that arrests have been made. However, we find it unfortunate that CCTV cameras around the police station were missing.

The ACDP calls for the immediate installation of cameras at all police stations, which should be checked regularly by officers on a rotation basis, to avoid corruption.

I strongly believe that the increased killing of police officers is a declaration of war against the state and we expect government to win the war. We do not want to see our people imprisoned in their homes because they fear criminals.

Reports about police officers living in fear in the area of Ngcobo because their lives had been threatened by criminals are concerning. It is criminals who should be living in fear of law enforcement agents and not the other way around.

The government should not allow our country to become a mafia state.

Since the dawn of our democracy, the ACDP has called for the denial of parole for those convicted of certain categories of crime. We now want to include on that list those convicted of killing police officers.

The ACDP also believes that the murder of men and women who have been trained and appointed to protect both the state and its citizens should be classified as a crime against the state, that should carry with it an automatic life sentence without the option of parole.

Criminals must know that their crimes will not be tolerated.

And lastly, to you, honourable Bheki Cele – you know that you are known as “The General” and I want to say again, much is expected of you – please do not disappoint us. President of the ACDP