Residents from the Mangaung Metro, who came out in their numbers to the Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium in Botshabelo, are waiting to be addressed by Minister Bheki Cele. His visit to the township comes weeks after Botshabelo residents expressed their concerns over the high crime rate.

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Cele in his response at the Presidential Imbizo - which was held on 9 April at Dr Petrus Molemela stadium - said he and his team will pay a special visit to the township to do their level best to lower the rate of crime. Residents are still unclear as to what will be implemented by SAPS to lower the rate of crime there.

Cele’s visit to Botshabelo is part of his Ministerial Crime Prevention Imbizo where he will engage with residents.

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Cele also confirmed at the Presidential Imbizo That 10 000 trainee police officers are currently undergoing training and out of those trainees, 550 will be deployed to the Free State to help with the rate of crime before the end of this year.

The latest crime statistics revealed that there has been an increase in both murder and attempted murder in the country. The top four factors identified in these deaths are arguments, vigilantism, robberies and revenge or retaliation.

OFM News