CAPE TOWN - More resources and more police officers in all major cities for the festive season.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says while police are doing the best they can to keep people safe, communities must also play their part in fighting crime.
But he's taking a no-nonsense approach to criminals, again invoking his shoot-to-kill stance.
“Those who think this is time to mess up must be given a tough time. Criminals have declared war, don’t go around asking who started the war," he said.
"Where you find people raping women, breaking into the houses and shops. Don’t ask the question of who started, join the war, shoot and kill.
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"You see the war and the war was not started by us. For the fact that people are dying it means that somebody has started the war.. fight the war you will ask later who started it.”
The Police Minister says he wants everybody to feel safe over the festive season.
* eNCA's Ayesha Ismail reports.