Pretoria - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has commended North West police after they arrested three men who allegedly killed former heavyweight boxer Corrie Sanders.
The minister expressed his gratitude to North West police, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Mbombo, who worked tirelessly on the case, resulting in the arrests on Thursday.
"Their dedication towards the safe-keeping of our society is a shining example of the kind of officers we expect, and are working towards sustaining. I urge them to continue to pursue the investigation further so that we do not only arrest those who commit such crimes, but ensure that we secure harsher convictions," Mthethwa said.
Police arrested the three suspects, all Zimbabwean citizens, on Thursday, and recovered items believed to have been stolen in the robbery during which Sanders was shot.
"We shall not allow criminals to rob us of heroes such as the late Corrie Sanders, who during his heydays as a professional sportsman, inspired a lot of youngsters positively through his talent. We shall not allow criminals to torment our society and that is why we have been advocating for a multi-faceted approach in the fight against crime," he added.
Mthethwa said it was apparent that police alone could not win the fight against crime.
"Criminals did not live in isolation from communities. Therefore there is a need to deepen our partnership with communities in the fight against crime and this is the only and most effective solution to eradicating crime," he added.
The three suspects are expected to appear in the Brits Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of murder and armed robbery.
