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Blood tide turns against thugs

The tide has turned and our police will no longer stand aside to be gunned down by ruthless armed gangs.

The tide has turned and our police will no longer stand aside to be gunned down by ruthless armed gangs.

About time, we say - with reservations.

Ten robbers met their maker yesterday after losing a shootout with a team of officers at Pienaars River near Bela Bela in Limpopo, one would-be robber died in an ambulance while another has been admitted to hospital.

The officers recovered five AK-47 and two R5 assault rifles, two Z88 9mm pistols, and a vast haul of ammunition after thwarting the gang's attack on a Coin Security van.

These thugs were clearly not out on an innocent sightseeing drive: they fired on the security van and then on the officers.

Senior officers crowed over their victory. MECs, other senior politicians and top police officers have recently given fair warning that they will no longer stand by and allow our police to be gunned down by criminals.

We fully agree that no criminal should ever even think of firing on an officer.

But we do want to sound a note of caution that the pendulum should not swing so far in the cops' favour that they become judge, jury and executioner.

South Africa has already had that experience and it should never be repeated.

But criminals should know for certain that the mood of the past few years has changed and society is fighting back.

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