TV show to help fight crime

A new television programme, following in the footsteps of Police File, will help fight crime and enhance government efforts to deal with crime against women and children, Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday.

"The revamp of the show serves as further testimony... [that] we are now looking at new ways of fighting crime," he told the launch of "When Duty Calls" at the Silver Star Casino in Krugersdorp.

"The programme will send a message to criminals that we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to expose and capture them.

"This is the kind of reflection we would like to see," Mthethwa said.

Through the programme, the police call on communities to volunteer information to help them track wanted and missing persons. It also provides the public with crime prevention hints.

Cele said the efforts to partner with the media as well as communities in fighting crime was part of heeding President Jacob Zuma's call to make South Africa a safer country.

"We shall not allow criminals to rule and own our streets. We'll have to squeeze them. We have to squeeze the space for criminals until there is zero space," Cele said.

He added that the majority of those in prison were between the ages of 18 and 40 and over 50 percent of those in prison were between the ages of 18 and 29.

This indicated that the youth was an important sector of society to target in the fight against crime.

"We need to talk to them... we can't be a criminal nation," he said.

SABC acting chief executive Gab Mampone said the programme would take the fight against crime to television.

The SABC also plans to intensify crime combating programming on its radio stations. This is in addition to Primedia's crime combating effort called "Crime Line".

While Cele praised Crime Line, he said police would be improving their own crime hotline called Crime Stop.

"When Duty Calls" will air on Mondays at 6pm on SABC 2.

Sapa

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