KZN govt confident aggressive approach will reduce province's high crime rate

KWAZULU NATAL - The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government is confident that an aggressive approach towards suspected criminals will curb the rife crime rate in the province.  

On Friday, the province held a crime summit looking at rampant crime. 

The province continues to experience crimes, including murders and robberies. 

The new government of provincial unity has vowed to tackle the issue with urgency.  

Since last week, there have been six deadly shootings involving the police and alleged criminals in KwaZulu-Natal.  

In total, 17 suspected criminals were killed by police during gunfights, which police say ensued when suspects refused to surrender.  

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said that police had to be aggressive with such criminals. 

"Yes, we quite support the aggressive approach in crime because even criminals are also aggressive to the community. We are losing many lives, many people are killed each and every day and even the police are not safe because when they approach police to arrest them, they shoot at the police," said Ntuli.

He said police must defend themselves at all costs. 

"And then for them not to respond to fire with fire, I don’t think would enable us to arrest the issues of crime in the province," said Ntuli

Police said the summit would come up with solutions that would tone down criminal elements.