Metro police commended for action

Officers who were allocated to ward 118 have been commended at several Cleveland Community Police Forum (CCPF) meetings over the past few months because of the action they are taking against offenders.

At the last meeting, Sergeant Marius Boolsen from the JMPD, said they are trying to address all bylaw contraventions brought to their attention as speedily as possible.

He said officers attended to contraventions such as noise, dumping, windscreen washers and vagrants over the past month.

“We received complaints about trucks parked in a residential area in Malvern. We visited the area three times last month and issued fines for illegal parking. We also instructed the people to move the trucks and they did so.

Windscreen washers

“We are still trying to address the windscreen washer problem in Bruma. It is not easy but we are working closely with the Cleveland SAPS. Weekends are especially bad because the windscreen washers operate in full swing. I urge motorists to stop giving the windscreen washers money. If people stop giving them money, there will be no need for the windscreen washers to be there,” said Sgt Boolsen.

Windscreen washers have been frustrating motorists at the Marcia Street, Albertina Sisulu and Allum roads intersection in Bruma for years. The stabbing of a woman earlier this year was the last straw for the public. They demanded urgent action be taken by authorities. Since then, the Cleveland SAPS and the JMPD have been monitoring the intersection and chasing windscreen washers away. However, officers still experience problems during shift change and weekends.

Taxis

Sgt Boolsen said the JMPD is also trying to address the taxi problems experienced by the public in Bruma.

It was previously reported that taxi drivers in Bruma tried to con JMPD officers into believing that the fake parking signs they had painted were real.

Bruma residents complained about the taxi drivers who were allegedly parking in no-stopping and parking zones at the corner of Marcia and Ernest Oppenheimer Avenue and making illegal U-turns.

They were also accused of leaving behind mounds of garbage at the illegal taxi rank in the veld close to the Jukskei River.

Sgt Boolsen previously stated that he issued fines to some of them and also told the rank marshal to stop operating until they obtain permission.

At the last CCPF meeting, he said meetings were held with relevant authorities regarding the removal of the parking signs. He hopes the signs will be removed soon.