FORMER minister of safety and security Charles Ngqakula didn't inspire much confidence.

Crime escalated during Ngqakula's watch and he did nothing to combat it. There is no doubt that he was not the right man for the job.

The pertinent question is: has President Jacob Zuma made the right appointments with Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, his deputy Fikile Mbalula and national Police Commissioner Bheki Cele?

Does the nation feel really safe in the hands of the abovementioned?

It seems the tough-talking ministers in the security cluster are criminalising the role of the police by encouraging them to "shoot to kill".

This reckless statement has led the police to killing innocent people, including a three-year-old.

Last week Deputy Minister of Police Mbalula told the Cape Press Club that we should accept that citizens will be killed (unintentionally) when the police fight criminals. Is Mbalula giving the police licence to kill innocent people?

The police's job is to protect citizens, not to kill them.

But now our police are busy killing the very people they are supposed to protect .

It appears the ministry of police has no strategy to combat ever-escalating crime. In the absence of a strategy, the clever ministers have resorted to a populist and easy way out of encouraging our police to shoot to kill. That's irresponsible.

We don't want ministers who make reckless statements and compete for media attention. It seems the ambition of the minister of police and his deputy is more important than the lives of the people of South Africa.

Thabile Mange, Kagiso