The Muslim Judicial Council on Friday asked the police to increase their patrols around schools‚ especially before school starts and after school is dismissed.
The council made this request following increased reports of child abductions‚ attempted child kidnappings‚ child rapes and murders in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.
According to the Western Cape Education Department‚ 13 reports of child abductions were received in less than a month‚ including a nine-year-old girl whose body was found in Kuilsriver.
Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle also sent out a high alert following increasing incidents of child abductions in the province.
The most recent incident was in Whittlesea‚ where four children were abducted on Monday.
Masualle’s spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said police were also investigating the case of children who were recently found in a truck near Nanaga en-route to Port Elizabeth.
“Now more than ever‚ we need decisive leadership that will result in action from the relevant authorities‚ and a competent justice department who works together with SAPS [South African Police Service]‚ to bring the perpetrators to book. These criminals must receive the harshest sentence possible‚” the council said in a statement.
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