THE safety and security of Umbilo residents, businesses, and visitors has been boosted with the handover of a dedicated SAPS vehicle that will patrol the Sector 1 region as part of law enforcement’s bid to reduce crime in the bustling area.

Supported and welcomed by the Community Police Forum (CPF) and the Umbilo Business Association (UBA), Umbilo SAPS station commander, Colonel Richard Ximba, handed the vehicle over to the Trio Task Team on Tuesday, January 7. Umbilo, which is being positioned as one of eThekwini’s business and social hubs, will benefit greatly from having a vehicle stationed in the area which will increase the visibility of law enforcement and drive down crime.

Ximba said, “The vehicle is going straight to Sector 1, which is an economic hub, as that is where a bulk of cases happen. It is attracting people, we are starting to be busy like Florida Road. If you come on Fridays and Saturdays, up to the early hours, it’s packed. So that is basically where the bouts of cases in terms of crime happen and the high visibility of police will help in reducing incidents in that area.”

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His sentiments were shared by the CPF and UBA who highlighted the good relationship that they have with law enforcement in the area. Umbilo CPF chairperson Calvin Thomas said, “That is why we work very closely with SAPS, Metro Police, the UBA, the UIPs, the neighbourhood watches and security security companies in the area because ultimately the aim is to reduce crime and increase the economic activity in the area.”

He lauded the addition of a dedicated vehicle, saying, “Visible policing works, if you see a marked vehicle travelling to the area, that in itself will make you think twice of doing anything because you can see that there is police presence.”

Tash Wells of the UBA said they often raise the issue of safety in the area, which affects businesses. “The UBA members in our area often say that they want to feel safe and that is what they bring to us. So to be able to see the SAPS being equipped more and more, it creates this presence and our businesses in turn are going to feel safer, which is encouraging for us. It’s very encouraging to see continuous steps forward towards positive change in crime prevention. It has a positive knock-on effect that creates a better relationship with the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies.”

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