Recently appointed National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele called on families and associates of criminals to expose them to rid the country of crime, his office said on Monday.

"Criminals don't come with rain showers or snow, they are from families, they are somebody?s son, daughter, uncle and aunt ? communities must expose them," Cele said in a statement.

He said police were making inroads into crime, but could not do the job alone.

Communities must stop complaining about crime and join forces against crime, he said.

People should help create an environment where "young girls can walk alone at night without fear of crime, where families will enjoy peaceful sleep without fear of house robberies, where businesses and vehicles carrying cash can function without fear of violent crime".

He said that crime kingpins can no longer "be comfortable in cocoons and nests of dirty criminal acts".