Every citizen in this country will readily agree to the need to jack up our criminal justice system to ensure criminals land behind the bars with the minimum of delay.

Every citizen in this country will readily agree to the need to jack up our criminal justice system to ensure criminals land behind the bars with the minimum of delay.

But with the government's eagerness to create a safe South Africa we must warn against promoting a gung-ho approach to policing that appears to send a signal that it is legal to shoot criminals on sight.

Thus, it is rather unfortunate that Gauteng community safety MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu this week resorted to histrionics in his latest tirade against crime.

His assertion that the police will shoot and kill women involved in organised crime appear to undermine the essence of policing, which is to apprehend criminals and bring them before the law for prosecution.

Cowboy policing can only promote anarchy and public hysteria with no regard for human rights.