ANC Supports Police in Battle to Fight Gunfire With Gunfire, Says Fikile Mbalula

• The ANC is giving its unwavering support to the police in the fight against firearm crime in South Africa
• ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has reiterated the stance that if criminals fire guns at police, they will return fire
• The support for the policemen and women who risk their lives for our safety was reiterated

JOHANNESBURG—Fikile Mbalula echoed the call that the police have the backing of the ANC and encouraged them to fight fire with fire.

Mbalula remarked that there are a lot of guns in the country and that everyone has guns and will shoot at random with no thought. This was reported on Jacaranda FM.

He went on to say that criminals don't surrender and that they shoot at the police, and we have to be on the side of the police against dangerous criminals as a society.

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We must form partnerships with the police, and the minister must know he has our support as a society as the ANC. The police must understand that society will forever support men and women in blue who are fighting crime and put their bodies on the line and risk their lives for us to be safe, Mbalula says.

ANC's stance on fighting crime

"Dangerous criminals must know that the law is the law. The rule of law must be respected. If they shoot at police, the police, in self-defence in the context of the law, must respond accordingly. We must not say to the police do not respond to criminals when they are killing you. Killing one police officer is too much. One police officer is too much," said Mbalula as seen live on eNCA.

A call for more resources

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Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo has asked the powers that be to provide more resources to tackle criminal activity.

The areas of need are to increase the number of visible police, additional detectives and new technology to assist and control guns in South Africa.

5 Suspects killed by SAPS in Cato Crest shoot-out

In related news, Briefly News reported that five suspects were killed in a shoot-out with police in Cato Crest, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The suspects, who were linked to recent murders, thefts and a hijacking in the area, were already known to law enforcement.

An AK47, three handguns and drugs were discovered in the possession of the deceased.

Source: Briefly News