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Police officers fall victim to crimes in S. Africa: president

Xinhua, December 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

South African President Jacob Zuma said on Friday police officer have fallen victim to rampant crimes which challenge the might of the state.

"Eighty six police officers were murdered during 2014/15 and 57 police officers have been murdered to date during the 2015/16 financial year," Zuma said in his end-of-the year statement.

"We have experienced attacks on police officers by criminals who are challenging the might of the state," Zuma said.

Zuma said police must defend themselves and the public when confronting crimes, but within the parameters of the laws.

"The message to police officers is not ambiguous. When they are under attack in the course of executing their duties they must defend themselves and members of the public effectively but within the parameters of the laws," he stressed.

The South African Police continued to undertake its work to make South Africans feel safe and to be safe, working with other members of the criminal justice system, said the president.

Zuma praised police for exercising restrain in dealing with mass protests.

Police have been directed to manage the protests effectively but with restraint and proportional use of force, said Zuma.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to train the 28 Public Order Policing Units that it has at its disposal to manage community protests, including the training and equipping of members to deal with crowd management, Zuma said.

During 2014/15, a total number of 14,740 crowd-related incidents were managed, comprising 2, 289 unrest-related and 12, 451 peaceful incidents. During the first semester of 2015/16, a number of 7, 306 incidents were managed, including 1,386 unrest-related incidents and 5,920 peaceful incidents.

Zuma also revealed that 40,000 suspects have been arrested since an anti-crime campaign, dubbed Operation Fiela, was launched in April following a new wave of xenophobia attacks across the country.

South Africa has been criticised by human rights groups for targeting foreigners in the campaign, but the government says the campaign is aimed at ridding the country of criminal elements. Endit