Community says Samora Machel police station makes no difference to rampant crime
|Published
Two years after the official opening of the Samora Machel police station in December 2018, the community complains that its presence in the community has brought no change. Picture: Courtney Africa/African News Agency(ANA)
Cape Town - Two years after the official opening of the Samora Machel police station in December 2018, the community complains that its presence in the community has brought no change to the rampant crime that affects them.
The community called for the police management to address a policy issue and the deployment of police resources to the station. Police Bheki Cele and police commissioner Khehla Sitole officially opened the station in 2018.
But Samora Machel Community Policing Forum (CPF) spokesperson Bongani Maqungwana begged to differ, saying the police station has made a difference in the area.
Maqungwana said they were still engaging the police management about the deployment of extra forces and special units, which would include the anti-gang unit (AGU), tactical response team (TRT) and others.
"We are also discussing the upgrading of the station to a higher level, that is coupled by the actual building of the police station (mortar and bricks)," he said.
A gender-based violence (GBV) advocacy group, Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said there were a lot of things that needed to be taken into consideration about the Samora Machel police station.
Monakali said they did not have adequate police resources to deal with the issue of crime in that area. "It's a policy issue that needed to be addressed, and there should be allocation of enough police officers in the area."
"We have many reports from various police stations throughout the Cape Flats communities, and they all share similar dynamics, high crime and violence, and where there is high crime and violence women suffer the most and where there is lack of police resources it helps to breed a culture of lawlessness because police with their lack of adequate resources can't apprehend all perpetrators," he said.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said Samora Machel police station was opened in an effort to bring policing services closer to the communities of the area.
Potelwa said the station was established with the purpose of alleviating the burden of crime from the only existing police station in the area at the time, which was Nyanga.
"Since its establishment, Samora Machel police station, which is a service point, has been providing much-needed help to the local communities in terms of reporting crime, investigation of crime and police visibility," she said.
Potelwa said fighting the scourge of crime in the area, particularly contact crime, has proven to be no mean feat and requires all hands on deck. "We are confident as the police that in the longer term we will make a meaningful impact in reducing serious violent crimes in Samora Machel."
She said, currently murders, attempted murders, hijackings, house robberies and sexual offences remained a cause for concern in the policing precinct with firearms being a weapon of choice in the commission of crimes.
"Concerted efforts by the police working with the community are a step in the right direction as we journey towards making the area safer. Day by day, relations with the community are strengthened, and information on criminal acts is relayed to the police," she said.
Cape Argus