'The country is lost’ - Mkhwanazi alarmed at KZN youth crime stats
KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has
described the number of young
people involved in violent, criminal activities in the province as alarming.
Mkhwanazi says the difficulty the police have is the majority of the criminals who have guns are youngsters.
"It's kids,19 or 20 years old. The majority of them stay with their parents and have families, but the worry is that the parents can't control them."
Mkhwanazi spoke after the launch of the province's festive season safety plan in Hammarsdale on Tuesday.
In October, a teenager was among a group of murder suspects arrested in Inanda.
READ: KZN Premier calls for tighter gun control measures
In a separate incident, two boys were nabbed after the body of a local teacher was found in the boot of her car in Pietermaritzburg.
The commissioner said these types of incidents are worrying.
“It pains us when we get to a crime scene, and there was a shootout because of these youngsters. They don't appreciate life in general, and when they take drugs, they don't fear anything.
They kill for no reason. That is our biggest problem, and when we confront them at the shootout, and we see them dead, we realise the country is lost."
