KZN – In scenes reminiscent of the craziness we saw in California where thieves robbed shops with impunity because police were allegedly instructed not to arrest and charge suspects stealing goods below a certain value; brazen criminal behaviour in South Africa continues to escalate, and to surprise citizens battered by crime and an overloaded criminal justice system.
Watch this video, then ask yourself, “What is the story here”?
WATCH:Brave security guard throws trash can at armed robbers who escaped after robbing a store at an Empangeni mall this morning. Five of the eight died in a high speed chase with cops and private security.
— Suthentira Govender (@SuthentiraG) July 27, 2022
Video:Supplied@TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/XEghjQwvhm
Is it criminals acting with impunity? Does their desperation trump any fear of arrest and prosecution? Or is it the brave but futile actions of a security officer committed to his task trying to intervene with little to no resources?
There is a lot of speculation and talk of an ‘Arab Spring’, a second round of the awful looting, burning and criminality that especially KZN (where this incident also occurred) was subjected to just over a year ago. Is such speculation just that or is there some credence to the view that a combination of the theft of a shipment of firearms, millions of rounds of ammunition as well as police radios (all in separate incidents of theft) is not coincidental, and points rather to the planning and logistical preparation of a much more concerted effort to bring about the insurrection that the President spoke of a year ago?
It’s almost too horrific to contemplate and begs the question of whether the response of our police, backed up by the SANDF, will be any different. Or any better? Of course, SAPS and other police services should be working more closely with the private security industry. But that same industry is issuing veiled threats of a strike, even as wage negotiations are underway.
That old chestnut, “Catch me once, shame on you; catch me twice, shame on me” takes on a whole new meaning, devastating in its ramifications.
Source: timeslive.co.za
