Glittering Gallows

Chapter 54

325 C Chapter 54 en and women in expensive suits, decorated police uniforms, army fatigues and Air Force ceremonial dress streamed out of a boardroom. They poured out to take a supportive stance behind the Police Minister on a podium in the press conference room in the National Police Headquarters in Pretoria. Present were Captains of the banking sector, the Air Marshal and his deputies, the Police Commissioner General, provincial premiers and other high-ranking officials. Epaulettes and other decorations lent a stately frightening air to the occasion. For the past two days, the police and the Air Force of South Africa had deliberated the formation and modalities of a jointcooperation committee. An agreement had just been signed by the Police Commissioner General and the Air Marshal of South Africa. And now, as was his custom, the Police Minister took the podium to speak. Speechifying was the minister’s lifeblood. “The rate of violent crimes including bank robberies is alarming,” the Minister said, looking into cameras. “On several occasions we received requests and appeals from various quarters to step up our efforts against crime. I’m pleased to say that cash-in-transit heists have gone down by about seven percent in the past year.” He paused from habit, expecting applause. No one applauded; this was a press conference. “Street robberies went down by about ten percent, sexual crimes by four and a half percent and bank robberies by nine percent.” He paused again. “While the South Africa Bank Risk Information Centre (Sabric) was pleased by the decrease in cash-in-transit crimes, the centre issued a statement that they were cautiously optimistic the continued efforts by the police to strengthen their partnership with business and other sectors in the fight against crime would yield the desired results.” He paused for the third time. “Today I’m proud to announce that in pursuance of our singular and inflexible drive to M 326 further reduce cash-in-transit heists and the incidence of bank robberies, my ministry has concluded a joint-cooperation agreement with the Air Force of this country.” Detective Senior Inspector Tony Khumalo, head of the city’s Violent Crimes & Robberies Unit, stood on the sidelines. He was a man of action. His nickname, Bolt-Cutter, was earned. Speeches and listening to support-mongering politicians bored him. South Africa’s cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies kept him on his toes every day. His adrenalin pump had long stopped working. The jointcooperation was his brainchild. After witnessing robbers escape in getaway cars through the streets of Pretoria, and the police vainly giving chase, he had suggested to the Police Commissioner General the involvement of the Air Force. The Commissioner had argued that the police had helicopters. The detective inspector had counter-argued that police pilots weren’t daring enough and their air-to-surface assault was poor. Now the cooperation had come to fruition and the Minister was harvesting all the credit. “The agreement is with effect from now,” the Minister was saying. The inspector’s cell-phone vibrated in a pocket of his trousers. He drew it and saw a text message: Rbbry underway @ Andries Binomial. 2 suspects. 4 cops @ scene. Mo arriving. The message came from a detective sergeant in charge of Central Pretoria. Det. Snr. Insp. Tony Khumalo quickly elbowed his way through a crowd of journalists in the room. He was going to the podium. The Minister and everybody would be pleased to hear that the jointcooperation had its first job at hand. ...