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USER COMMENTS >"); document.write("
hooray!
"); document.write("at bloody last, i say shoot the bloody bastards. everybody has had enough. if the police didn't do something about it the people would have taken the matter into their own hands.. gatvol"); document.write("
kill the ####ers
"); document.write("start witht he goverment. "); document.write("
Meet fire with fire
"); document.write("In more civilised European countries, a softer approach can be adopted. But here we have a murder rate that would blow the minds of people in England or Australia. Here in Africa, life is cheap. Where else in the world are armed robberies often accompanied by rape, further adding to the dreadful trauma? And we don't have 'ordinary' criminals on the loose. We have semi-military gangs armed with automatic weapons. If the SA police aren't allowed to shoot to kill in a typical combat situation, we soon won't have any poilce left.. gerald"); document.write("
Police need to be allowed to shoot
"); document.write("The police put the lives in danger every single day. Why should they have to have someone shoot at them first before they may fire back. I had 2 guys attempting to break into my house this morning at 4:00 am whilst I was asleep with my wife and daughter. Had I not heard them who knows what they would have done to us. Fortunately I was able to protect myself and my family. I shouted at them, fired a warning shot and they just took off. I could very easily have shot the one but I know the situation if you shoot someone whilst they are deemed to be fleeing. The only problem is now they have gotten away and will probably be back one day, or at least break in somewhere else. I think we seriously need to look consider locking up anyone attempting to break into a house for 25 years. So many people are murdered and raped every day in SA that anyone attempting to break and caught should be sentenced to 25 years minimum. Make it a serious deterrent for the criminals and should they be caught, get them off our streets for 25 so when they come out they are too old to carry on doing it.. Anon"); document.write("
shoot to kill
"); document.write("People should carefully consider the whole speech the deputy minister made.
There was no blanket shoot to kill instruction given to the SAPS.

The shoot to kill quotation came from a speech where the minister specifically talked about the rights of memebers of the SAPS to defend themselves against heavily armed criminals who have no compunction to shoot their way out if it looks like they are about to be captured.

As for warning shots, the law does not specify that one needs to fire a warning shot when acting in self defense.

Warning shots were only necessary in the process of affecting an arrest before section 49(2) of the criminal procedures act was changed to only make provision for self defense.

Firing in self defense also does not mean that the officer is judge, jury and executioner but simply means that the officer is defending himself against armed attack.

Anybody who supports the idea of cancelling the right to self defense is living in a dream world where no one would think of harming anyone else and really needs to get up to speed with the realities of live.

Unfortunately love thy neighbour is not happening anywhere in the world today and especially not in SA.

The trick question is when do you have the right to shoot in self defense.

The appeals court has clearly stated that one may defend oneself when there is an imminent threat to your life which includes the possibility of serious injury being inflicted.

If an armed criminal is being apprehended he is an imminent threat untill such time as he is disarmed.

That does not even mean that he has to be armed with a firearm.

A person can kill you as easily with a brick as with a gun and the law states clearly that one may use equal force including deadly force to defend oneself.

So no need to go looking for a brick when your attacker carries a brick... you may use your firearm in self defense.

The simple fact of life is that you will have to explain yourself to a court and if you genuinely believed that your life was threatened your action would be considered fair and just.

The public of SA need to be educated as to their rights and how the laws are applied in practice.

It`s time our education system includes legal education.. A"); document.write("
re: shoot to kill
"); document.write("Easy solution then, shoot the bastard an the back, put a brick in his hand and say he was attacking your wife. Case closed.. Clive"); document.write("
Better still
"); document.write("Drill the sucker and dump him somewhere inconspicuous. Hell you can drop him off on the N2, if you see the total lack of forensic work that is done when a body is found you'd laugh! He is literally loaded up and taken away.
Our guys are not CSI, they don't dust for prints, they don't even pick up bullet casings never mind have them analysed, they do ZERO investigation on the matter like asking nearby residents if they heard or saw anything, they load him up and send him away, and go to lunch. Nobody cares.
. Chris"); document.write("
"); document.write("If a criminal points a gun at a police officer then it's fair game to shoot them.
If you get caught and intend shooting a police officer instead of going to jail then your life should be forfeit.

Keep is up SAPS!. "); document.write("
Kill the bastards!
"); document.write("Most criminals have absolutely NO respect for life. Why should a cop have to fire warning shots and aim for extremeties when the criminal would kill him/her in a heartbeat. The more criminals are killed, the better for our country and its crime statistics.

Back in the day, traitors used to be hung,drawn and quartered and their heads stuck up on pikes at city entrances to warn others; maybe we should bring this back??. "); document.write("
kill them all
"); document.write("Regardless the race, any of these bastards deserve to die . They take lifes away as a joke ! They kill, rape our kids, wives as life have no value for them. Hang the rapist by their balls in public place until they die ! They are not human .... they are animals ! and even animals do not behave like that ! Well done SAPS and keep it up ! I,as a South African citizen support you totally ! Ans shame to the judges who let these criminals get away with their crime !!!. bernard"); document.write("
Re: Shoot to Kill
"); document.write("A : I couldn't agree with you more!! Our education system needs to provide every member of society a legal education in terms of their rights!

. Sacha"); document.write("
fighting fire with fire
"); document.write("South Africa is waisting away beacause of crime and corruption. The killers on our street are getting away with murder and I think the ONLY way to bring violent crime under control, is to bring the death penalty back. Maybe we should put the death penalty to a vote. AG. AG"); document.write("
shoot to kill
"); document.write("poorly written article, your facts are incorrect as pointed out by the other debate participants. . john smith"); document.write("
shoot to kill
"); document.write("- get the message across that law and order is non-negotiable. If you break it, you take a bullet.
- save the cops and the justice system from overcrowding prisons or letting the same repeat criminal out again
- save the tax payer 40K/year in looking after somebody that doesn't respect the law and or other citizens.

Right now the COPS need this. From 1994 to now the COPS have been like Lions without teeth trying hunt game. Lets put the teeth back in their mouths so they can do the job properly.

The way I see it, you can get rid of the crime by getting rid of the criminal...permanently.. Thinker"); document.write("
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