SACP WELCOMES THE ANNOUCEMENT OF POLICE COMMISIONER

The SACP notes and welcomes the announcement made today by the President of the Republic on the appointment of the National Police Commissioner.

We wish Cde Bheki Cele all the best when he assumes up this mammoth task of assisting us to fight crime and rampant criminality in our country. We hope the police commissioner will bring about a breath of fresh air and energy to the position like he did when he was a Member of the Executive Council responsible for policing in KwaZulu Natal.

The poor in South Africa, especially women and children, bear the disproportionate brunt of crime in South Africa. We hope the new Commissioner will provide leadership to the SAPS  in order to ease the burden of crime in of all communities and especially in those that are vulnerable. We need effective and visible policing that favours all our people, not just the rich.

We need a police force that just like Caesars wife is above reproach. Corruption must be out rooted in the Police Service. Conditions of service for our uniformed men and women must be improved - we have lost far too many lives of men and women on duty. Vacant position in the SAPS especially in the detective and specialised units must be filled as a matter of urgency if we are to win the battle against crime.

As the SACP we have through our Red October Campaign been involved in the building of street committees as part of the fight against crime. Let all the workers and the poor, together with the SAPS led by Cde Cele, join in the campaign to build street, village and block committees to fight crime. The police commissioner must also ensure that there is equitable distribution of resources in the form of police, police vans, and high-tech technology to assist our street committees especially in the poor areas in their fight against crime.

Statement issued by the South African Communist Party, July 29 2009

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