COPS told not to escort TV crew.
It has been reported that crew members from Moja Love's Vimba and Sizok'thola often request for cops to accompany them to recordings.
Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni has instructed officers not to escort the TV crew.
A memo sent to police commanders and officers in Gauteng said the provincial commissioner was aware that the crew asks officers to escort them when they conduct activities for their TV shows.
Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed to Daily Sun that officers have been ordered not to escort TV crews.
"What the police are saying is that members of the community should report crime and give information to the police so that the police can operationalise that information and act accordingly.
"The community can't be escorted by police to arrest suspects while the police are there," he said.
Masondo said it does not make sense for civilians to ask to be escorted to arrest someone in front of the police.
"Police are the ones who do the arrests and searches. Civilians can't ask to be escorted by the police to do a search where the police are not aware if that search requires a search warrant, or not.
"Residents should give the information to the police. The police know when and how to act and can act accordingly," he said.
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Masondo said civilians can only arrest someone if a crime was committed in front of them but must give a statement to the police.
Meanwhile, Moja Love spokeswoman Nonzwakazi Cekete told Daily Sun they were furnished with the memo, but its authenticity is yet to be verified.
"We have requested our attorneys to send correspondence to the SAPS to confirm if they are aware of this memo. As you know, some of our shows are hard-hitting and aimed at dealing with what often others may consider no-go-areas.
"For example, Sizok'thola is a social justice programme that exposes drug dealers and the impact of drugs in communities. Vimba, for example, exposes the illicit trade, politicians not doing their work etc," she said.
Cekete said the crew requested the SAPS to escort them due to the nature of the show and the risks associated with such.
"We are firm believers of collaborating with law enforcement and without law enforcement, our crews are in danger, and this could lead to unintended consequences such as death. We remain committed to further collaborating with the SAPS and any other law enforcement agency," she said.
