New Brakpan SAPS station commander chairs her first monthly stakeholders meeting
The monthly meeting welcomed Brigadier Johanna Ngoma.
Brakpan SAPS held their monthly stakeholders’ meeting at the State Mines Country Club on Wednesday, which was the first of these meetings for the new station commander, Brigadier Johanna Ngoma.
In the crime overview, Captain Pieter Booysen of the Brakpan crime intelligence office noted hijackings, contact crimes such as sexual assault and common assault, and burglaries as problem areas.
Delivery driver motorcycles are still being targeted in the Anzac and Plastic City areas, with the violence escalating. Sex crimes and assault are also a major concern, as well as theft of motor vehicles.
The most targeted vehicle seems to be white Volkswagen Polos, especially those parked in complexes, where the complex security creates a lack of vigilance in residents.
Theft out of motor vehicles is also high, targeting batteries, tyres and some car badges. Business robberies or burglaries occur mainly in the evenings, as the stores close or shortly after closing.
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The police made 114 arrests in February and 12 in March so far. Some of these suspects are linked to dozens of open cases.
In addition, Booysen reiterates the police will arrest domestic violence suspects without delay, and these cases will not be dropped if the accuser withdraws.
Blue light hijackings continue to be a problem, and Ngoma reminds the public they should not pull over for a vehicle that looks like a police vehicle in remote locations. She reminds motorists to always drive to a public place or police station.
“Real officers will follow you to a public place without issue, but criminals mostly would not bother,“ she explained.
Advocate Dick Hattingh from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) raised a concern about drug arrests getting thrown out because of officers not following due process.
He revealed a stop-and-search without prior authorisation can hinder a conviction and encouraged law enforcers to get prior authorisation from the court to target drug hotspots.
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