Cele says police should be tough on criminals

By Ofentse Mokae
01 August 2009

New national police commissioner Bheki Cele has called on police to be tough on criminal.

Cele said this by suggesting that that the police should shoot to kill criminals without worrying what happens thereafter.

Speaking to a local paper, he says the call to revisit section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act, had been made because police officials spent time on the law without using it for a quick response.

Cele who’s the former KwaZulu Natal MEC for Transport and community safety said that criminals were armed with best firearms and whoever is standing in their way, they are ready to shoot.

He said police responding to attacks had to arrest their minds, thinking is it right or wrong to kill, he said they must think about what is in front of them and do the job.

Media reports that Cele’s philosophy on shooting before being shot which widely while MEC led to the province having more deaths in police custody.