“Criminals, there is no space for you here,” warned Benoni police cluster commander Brig Vuyokazi Ndebele at the launch of a “Base Camp” and medal parade in Daveyton, on August 29.
Base camp is an aggressive strategy against crime, which will see officers from outside the area being deployed in Benoni to root out criminal activities.
Ndebele said the base camp will take place until the challenges of crime are no more.
She listed house robbery, rape, hijacking, assault, murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances as troublesome crimes.
As for Daveyton and Etwatwa, the brigadier said sex crimes and “satanism” are worse.
Ndebele called on the community to continue reporting criminals, saying this trend has put many behind bars.
She quoted national police commissioner Riyah Phiyega when she said “Somewhere, somehow, someone knows something about crime” in an effort to encourage crime reporting.
Her superior, Gauteng provincial police deputy commissioner Gen Phumla Gela, warned that Gauteng is no gangster paradise.
“We are a well-oiled machine and cleverer than criminals,” said the general.
The general said to win this war, crime will also be rooted out within the SAPS ranks.
“We have a challenge of corruption within the police,” acknowledged the general.
Gela concluded by “declaring war on criminals” and urging the community to report as the police are more than ready to act.
At the launch, police also demonstrated its resources to fight crime which included a helicopter, Nyalas, the mounted and the dog unit, among others.
