Mashatile: Police have been ordered to act lawfully in shootouts with armed suspects
Mashatile was facing questions in the National Assembly on Thursday about the surge in incidents where suspects were shot and killed by the police, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile answered questions in the National Assembly on 5 September 2024. Picture: @PresidencyZA/X
CAPE TOWN - Deputy President Paul Mashatile said that police had been instructed to only shoot armed suspects in a lawful and reasonable manner.
But Mashatile added that communities should also help by exposing criminals to avoid the current shootouts between police and armed suspects.
Mashatile was facing questions in the National Assembly on Thursday about the surge in incidents where suspects were shot and killed by the police, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
The deputy president was asked about what he'd done as chairperson of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster to prevent fatal shootings between police and suspects.
This week alone, six suspects were killed in gun battles with the police in KZN.
But Mashatile said that police had been ordered to act lawfully.
"This instruction clearly sets out the legal requirement that must be followed to ensure that the conduct of police officials is lawful and reasonable."
He said that communities could also help put an end to the shootings by reporting criminal activity.
"To enable them to promptly respond and arrest all criminal elements in our communities to avoid the current shoot outs that are taking place at the moment."
He said that more resources would be pumped into crime intelligence to address the rising crime levels.