Deputy Police Minister Bongani Mkongi has slammed South Africans who prioritise the human rights of criminals, claiming they have "opted for darkness".
He was speaking at the Western Cape launch of the police's safer festive season.
"South Africans must choose. If they choose the human rights of criminals, they are choosing Satan but if they protect the police they are choosing God," said Mkongi.
The event, held at the Velodrome Sports Complex in Bellville, was packed with SAPS members, metro police and traffic officers.
Mkongi highlighted that prisoners received three meals in Pollsmoor and enjoyed sports and recreation facilities.
"We don't have sport fields here. We can't support our young people to play sport because they say government doesn't have enough money, but we have money to fund thugs in Pollsmoor," said Mkongi.
His comments come a few weeks after Police Minister Fikile Mbalula came under fire after he bragged on Twitter about the arrest of men he linked to recent shootings in the Marikana informal settlement.
The men, who were on their way to a funeral in the Eastern Cape, were released without being charged.
"Crime in South Africa, I must tell you, is a political weapon. People use the [rate of crime] for political reasons. Who funds these people to bring crime in South Africa?
"Who supplies these arms to criminals who go into our own police stations and steal our arms and give them to criminals?"
He said the police were accused of violating human rights when they were harsh on criminals.
"What about the human rights of the mothers and fathers ... who are killed by guns?" the deputy minister asked.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 