Informal settlement patrols a priority – police
FARMALL - While rowdy neighbours at Kya Sand and Unsawawa in Farmall are keeping people up at night, police are actively patrolling the areas.
Resident Gavin Tonks said, “The issue of noise is a bylaw and uninforced. This noise issue has plagued us for 12 years.”
He believes much of the issues stem from shebeens operating in the area.
“We need to expose how negative these areas are: drunken youth, drugs, crime… they are not homely places where poor people go, they
are institutionalised crime spots,” Tonks said.
Ward 96 councillor Matome Mafokwane said he was unaware of most of the allegations, and that he has never been briefed on any organised crime taking place at informal settlements.
He was called to assist regarding housing related issues, but said more needed to be clarified.
“If research and investigations have been conducted with regards to these allegations I will be happy to study the findings, so that a way forward can be pursued,” Mafokwane said.
But Tonks maintains illegal businesses, noise and money laundering are common practice at the settlements.
Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, head of communications for Douglasdale Police Station, said patrols in informal settlements are regular, and active policing in these areas are on the police’s priority list.
Illegal shebeens have also been the focus of police, and on 29 August officers successfully closed another watering hole and confiscated crate upon crate of alcohol.
“We are actively trying to crack the whip on crime in the whole community,” he said.
