Criminals disguised in fancy clothes says police minister

ACTING Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia has warned that organised crime networks, often disguised in “designer clothes and fancy suits,” are infiltrating political parties and state institutions, posing a growing threat to national security and public trust.

- SIMON MAJADIBODU and WENDY JASSON DA COSTA

Speaking during the release of the latest crime stats yesterday, he highlighted the dual nature of criminality in the country. "Some people commit crime out of desperation. Others act out of greed and a lust for power and wealth," establishing structures that divert public funds and flood communities with drugs and weapons, he said.

"Criminal networks fuel violence, entrench corruption and weaken democratic institutions. Organised crime undermines investment and prevents job creation," Cachalia added.

He pointed to the Madlanga Commission and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Inquiry investigating allegations of criminal networks influencing elected officials and senior police officers.