On Sunday afternoon African National Congress president Jacob Zuma officially put into effect one of the resolutions adopted eight months ago at the Polokwane conference when he launched a number of street committees in Durban.

Addressing residents at Durban's Newlands East suburb, Zuma launched three street committees in the area and stressed the importance of notbeing soft on criminals.

"I warn you not to be lenient with criminals because they do not respect lives. These street committees must not be user-friendly to criminals but that does not mean that you must kill. Just catch the criminals and hand them over to the police."

He said that police should not ask too many questions when the committees bring criminals to the police station.

"Police must also not be soft on criminals," he added.

"Criminals have a lot of rights; One of them is the right to remain silent, so when they come to the station, don't ask too many questions, just put them in jail."

The leading party president told the community that he wanted them to help the police in fighting crime, because it was not only the job of the police to make the community safe.

He said the reason why it was important for the ANC to take action on crime was because of the heavy criticism placed on the party.

"If things go wrong in this country, people look at the ANC for answers because it's the leading party. They don't look at or criticise any other party. That's the reason why it's so crucial for us to take a leadership role in the fight against crime."

The committees were implemented on Brimdle Place, Skate & Moray Place, and Garuppa Street in Ward 11 and Zuma said this was an indication that "the ANC in the province is alive and ready to respond to the call as always.

"We need to lead in the fight against crime. We have a challenge to defend our freedom and we can't do that without proper structures like these."

Zuma was accompanied to the function by eThekwini deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo and Zweli Mkhize, the party's KwaZulu-Natal chairman.

Mkhize said this project showed that the party was taking steps on issues deemed as priorities on the ANC's list.

He said this was a joint effort with the SA Police Service.

"We will make sure crime is reduced in this area and the province. We want to rid the area of drug traffickers, rapists and other criminals."

"Umsholozi [Zuma] is the type of person fighting for the people to bring peace and stability to this country, because that's the type of man he is," Mkhize said.