Bheki Cele to keep close eye on cops’ Safer Festive Season campaign

Police Minister, Bheki Cele will be visiting various parts of the country to evaluate the impact of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) national Safer Festive Season operations, currently underway in all nine provinces.

A directive issued to cancel all police officers’ December annual leave applications, will ensure that at least 90% of police officers will be on duty in every province.

Cele in bid to turn tide against crime 

Cele said the visits form part of the campaign by the SAPS under the theme “Zizojika Izinto” (Turning the tide against crime).

“This call-up will ensure that the police stamp the authority of the state in all corners of the country. In their numbers, SAPS officers will be highly visible in all public areas, squeezing out space for any criminality,” said Cele. 

Joined by the police’s top management, Cele will embark on community engagements by visiting public spaces where holidaymakers are likely to gather. 

Over and above the community engagements to assess the safety plans put in place, the minister will also take part in police operations and multi-disciplinary roadblocks to ensure that South Africans are safe and feel safe during the holiday season.

The first stop of the minister’s countrywide inspection tour is set to kick off on Tuesday 17 December 2019 in the Mpumalanga and is due to conclude on 30 December 2019 in the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.

SAPS visit SA provinces during festive season

The SAPS will visit the following provinces during the festive season: 

• 17 December 2019 – Mpumalanga;
• 18 December 2019 – Limpopo;
• 19 December 2019 – North West;
• 20 December 2019 – Gauteng;
• 21 December 2019 – Free State;
• 22 December 2019 – Northern Cape;
• 23 December 2019 – Eastern Cape Province
• 24 December 2019 – KwaZulu-Natal DAY 1;
• 26 December 2019 – KwaZulu Natal DAY 2;
• 27 December 2019  – Western Cape;
• 29 December 2019 – KwaZulu-Natal DAY 3; and
• 30 December 2019 – KwaZulu-Natal DAY 4.

MySAPS mobile app a first on continent

The police, along with with other law enforcement agencies, launched their 2019/2020 Safer Festive Season operations in Umlazi, Durban on 25 October 2019. 

Together with Vodacom, they also launched a SAPS mobile app, called MySAPS, at the same time.

A first of its kind on the continent, the MySAPS app was designed to provide South Africans with a new and easy way to access policing services and information.

The new app will allow citizens to interact with law enforcement officials more effectively by:

• Providing tip-offs anonymously through the app;
• Finding nearest police stations and facilities; and
• Allowing a victim of crime to send messages instantly during an emergency.

Coupled with the launch was also the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the SAPS and the Department of Tourism ahead of the busy festive season.