Bheki Cele boosts security in Phoenix, calls for broken relationships to be rebuilt

Police Minister Bheki Cele said that he had boosted policing in Phoenix in northern Durban and had now called for an end to vigilantism in the community.

He confirmed that 20 people were killed there last week during what the minister referred to as “the failed insurrection”.

They were among the more than 200 people who were killed during mass looting and violence in Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng. Cele has now deployed 10 detectives to investigate the Phoenix murders and he’s deployed 80 public order police officers to the area.

Cele committed to the residents of Phoenix to protect their community from being looted last week. He has however cautioned against racial profiling and acts of vigilantism, saying that this was criminal and will not be tolerated. The police minister, who has been in KwaZulu-Natal for a week now since last week, said that criminality would not go unpunished.

“As you know that 3,400 have been arrested and there are special courts and special regulations that have been put in place by the Department of Justice. The outcomes will be quick,” Cele said.

The minister has called on affected areas to rebuild broken relations and bring back peace and social cohesion.

-EWN

In other news – Big blow as Babes Wodumo, Cassper Nyovest, Master KG & these other artists’ music to be taken off-air

Mzansi stars; Babes Wodumo, Cassper Nyovest, Black Coffee, Kelly Khumalo, MasterKG, DJ Maphorisa, and Kaba de Small are some of the artists whose music will be removed from the SABC radio and television stations playlist.

The South African Music Performance Rights Association (Sampra) is going the litigation route after the SABC ignored several letters from the organization to pay royalties to them. Learn More