Police Commissioner congratulates task team for job well done
The National Commissioner of the South African Police, General Riah Phiyega, is pleased by the excellent work done by a task team that was established to crack down gangs that were involved in robbing cellphone shops in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Last year the two provinces experienced an increase in armed robberies targeted shops selling cellphones and other Information and Communications Technology (ICT) service providers. The ever increasing demand for these gadgets beyond our borders in countries such as Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Tanzania has played a role in the surge in these crimes. As a result of these incidents, General Phiyega, last year gave an instruction for the formation of a task team whose team consisted of detectives, crime intelligence, Gauteng War Room, other government partners such as the National Prosecuting Authority and cellular phone provider, to give these robbers all the attention they need.
So far more than 30 suspects belonging to three different groups operating in Cape Town and Johannesburg and are involved multiple armed robberies are behind bars and are awaiting trial in courts across the country.
General Phiyega said: “We are fully aware that the people involved in the commission of these robberies are some of the brazen criminals any police officer or a business person can ever encounter. They have shown a propensity to shoot their way out of any situation without due regard for life.”
Despite her congratulatory remarks to the team, led by the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Lesetja Mothiba, General Phiyega cautioned the team against being lulled into a false sense of comfort as there are still other gang members who are still at large. Gauteng province was the hardest hit as it suffered a staggering 58% of these robberies.
She also expressed concern that majority of the suspects accused in these crimes were out on bail for similar offences, and vowed that the South African Police Service will engage with other partners in the criminal justice cluster to ensure that this matter receives the urgent attention it so much deserves.
Enquiries:
Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo
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