Police minister Bheki Cele and national commissioner Fannie Masemola visited the scene on Wednesday.
Cele told media at the scene police are following up on good leads.
“The tourism sector is highly contested and is the bread and butter of millions of households in this province and other parts of the country. This is why it must be guarded jealously by all of us, including communities. We simply cannot let such callous acts go unpunished. This is why it is highly encouraging to see police in this province move with agility to find those responsible for this crime,” he said.
Cele said a long-term solution is needed to safeguard communities and tourists, committing to engaging his cabinet colleagues responsible for tourism and transport to put in place a joint co-ordinated response.
“Police have a duty towards all inhabitants of this country and must make arrests as part of crime prevention. The tourism sector also has a responsibility to empower their clients with information and knowledge about their surroundings so they are not easily targeted for their valuables.
“We have no doubt if this approach is widely adopted, it will go a long way in ensuring the space for these criminals targeting visitors to our shores is squeezed and ultimately shut.”
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Mboweni ‘annoyed’ by murderers undermining work to promote tourism
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES
Former finance minister Tito Mboweni has lambasted murderers undermining the country’s efforts to promote tourism following the death of a German tourist in Mpumalanga.
The 67-year-old German national was fatally shot this week on Numbi Road near the Numbi gate of the Kruger National Park.
Police in the province identified and took in three people for questioning regarding the murder of the tourist, who was driving in a vehicle ferrying three other passengers.
The province recorded 11 common robbery incidents involving tourists from April to June 2022.
Mboweni described the incident as “annoying”, saying law enforcement must leave no stone unturned.
“Some of us work very hard and smart to promote tourism. And murderers undermine our efforts. Law enforcement must leave no stone unturned to bring these murderers and economic saboteurs to book. Annoying,” said the former minister.
Police minister Bheki Cele and national commissioner Fannie Masemola visited the scene on Wednesday.
Cele told media at the scene police are following up on good leads.
“The tourism sector is highly contested and is the bread and butter of millions of households in this province and other parts of the country. This is why it must be guarded jealously by all of us, including communities. We simply cannot let such callous acts go unpunished. This is why it is highly encouraging to see police in this province move with agility to find those responsible for this crime,” he said.
Cele said a long-term solution is needed to safeguard communities and tourists, committing to engaging his cabinet colleagues responsible for tourism and transport to put in place a joint co-ordinated response.
“Police have a duty towards all inhabitants of this country and must make arrests as part of crime prevention. The tourism sector also has a responsibility to empower their clients with information and knowledge about their surroundings so they are not easily targeted for their valuables.
“We have no doubt if this approach is widely adopted, it will go a long way in ensuring the space for these criminals targeting visitors to our shores is squeezed and ultimately shut.”
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
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German tourist killed near Kruger was a regular traveller to SA
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