Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-10-14

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu thanked police officers for putting their lives on the line for South African citizens.

Tutu attended the 35th Annual Crime Stoppers Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday.

In true Tutu style, the Archbishop got the auditorium roaring with laughter as he opened his address with a personal joke

He then thanked the South African Police Service members for putting their lives on the line to make South Africa a safer place for all.

“You are in a wonderful, wonderful profession. You are people who can make a community a happy community, a safe community.”

Tutu says during Apartheid, before South Africa became a democracy, police weren’t known as friends of the public, but rather as individuals whom citizens feared.

Tutu adds he continues to pray for their safety as police play a vital role in society. “I pray that God blesses you for the work that you do, the work that enables people to be able to go to bed not frightened.”

Meanwhile Public Protector Thuli Madonsela called on South Africans to unite against corruption.

Madonsela told hundreds of delegates it was essential criminals knew their illegal actions would have harsh consequences.

She said while she would not classify South Africa as a corrupt country, the nation faced many problems related to crime.

“I am often asked the question: Is South Africa a corrupt country? My response is always: No, we are certainly not a corrupt country. Like many other nations, we are a country that has a problem of corruption,” she said.

The advocate has called on South Africans to mobilise against corruption which she called a common enemy.

She said if there were no corrupt individuals, there would be no corrupt individuals occupying government or the private sector.

The 35th Annual Crime Stoppers Conference runs from the 12th to the 15th of October.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)