Bheki Cele Hands Over 130 Vehicles to Enhance SAPS Crime Scene Response

During the handover ceremony at the Pretoria Police Academy, Cele emphasized the efforts being made to strengthen the police force.

Police Minister General Bheki Cele has handed over 130 vehicles to the Local Criminal Records Centre (LCRC) of the South African Police Service (SAPS). These vehicles are intended to enhance and improve the response time of crime scene experts to crime scenes.

During the handover ceremony at the Pretoria Police Academy, Cele emphasized the efforts being made to strengthen the police force. "We are working very hard to capacitate the organisation," Cele said on Friday, highlighting that student police officers are also part of this initiative.

Cele explained that they had to seek approval from the Parliament's Portfolio Committee to purchase this critical equipment for use by the intelligence sector. "Our job is to prevent, combat, and investigate," he stated.

The new vehicles will aid in investigations by helping police link suspects to crime scenes through efficient evidence collection and analysis. Some of the vehicles will be allocated to various provinces.

This initiative follows another recent ceremony where Cele handed over 78 vehicles to the Illicit Mining task teams, known as Operation Vala Umgodi. Since its inception in December 2023, Operation Vala Umgodi has led to the arrest of over 6,000 suspects and the seizure of uncut diamonds worth R32 million.

Additionally, Public Order Policing Units received 52 minibuses to enhance their ability to respond to large gatherings and protests, underscoring their crucial role in maintaining public order.