Speaker, firstly, I want to deal with the instruction to shoot to kill. This buzz phrase has been quite attractive and has been used by many people who have not sought to engage with regard to the substance of it. The idea is not to shoot to kill recklessly, but to shoot to kill armed and dangerous criminals in defence of the innocent.
Criminals have been merciless in killing innocent people and innocent policemen. Last year, we lost 105 policemen and women in combat, in defence of the innocent. In the Western Cape we have lost two unarmed community policing forum, CPF, members. We have also lost a police captain, and throughout all this we have not heard people shouting at the top of their voices. All that we hear is that crime is politically convenient for some people. We can only win the war against crime if we act in unity.
I agree with the member who said that the police need training and that they need to sharpen their shooting skills. However, it's not like you are usurping the Constitution and running a banana republic. [Interjections.]
We are amending the law to protect the police and the innocent people of South Africa by ensuring that we uphold our slogan "to serve and protect" the innocent people of South Africa. No amount of petty politicking or fabrication and distortion will derail us from the mission of winning the war against crime. [Applause.] Crime knows no colour and no political affiliation, and some people have used it for political reasons.
Lastly, in cases where people have been put in harm's way and where there have been allegations of police brutality, the Independent Complaints Directorate, ICD, is there to carry out full investigations. That will happen today and tomorrow and any other time when innocent people die in the process of the police executing their mission. [Time expired.] Thank you very much. [Applause.]