The state of the art precinct was open at Katlehong 2

Another Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department precinct was opened to serve the Zonkizizwe community in Katlehong 2 on Tuesday, January 17.

The R20-million building has a computer room for data capturing, a gym, an office to register cases, a firearms safe, a place where one can go to pay traffic fines, and holding cells for males and females.

It was officially opened by the Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) of Community Safety, Clr Vivian Chauke, who delivered a speech on behalf of the executive mayor, Clr Mzwandile Masina.

Chauke said the precinct is for the community.

“This building is for you. All employees who will be posted for duty here will be expected to apply the principle of Batho Pele as soon as they enter these premises. We won’t expect officers to be outside the premises smoking while there is a long queue of people looking for help. We won’t even tolerate officers who want to be bribed so that they can give service to the people. If the officers on duty don’t help or want to be bribed, ask for a person who is in charge of that shift. Then you can phone my office on 011 999 2243/7012. You will find a person by the name of Madiba Thabethe and can report the problem to him,” said Chauke.

Chauke said they will arrest everyone who commits the following crimes: selling alcohol without a licence, keeping their spaza shops open until midnight, dumping rubbish, urinating in public, and robbing pensioners. Those who insult adults will be taught respect the hard way, she added.

“If you commit the above-mentioned crimes, you will be inviting the police without knowing,” Chauke emphasised.

People must not pay for the services at the station, she concluded.

Kobedi Mokheseng, the spokesperson on the EMPD, said the police station will function 24 hours a day. He explained how the shifts will work.

“We will have three shifts a day. Each shift will work eight hours a day. The first shift will work from 6am to 2pm. The following shift will work from 2pm to 10pm, and the last shift will be 10pm until 6am the following morning. I promise the community members that they will always find police officers at the station whenever they want help.

“If people have functions and they want to erect it in the street because they don’t have space in their yards, they can report it here and the station will grant them permission to do so. We will also organise funeral escorts for people who need that kind of help,” said Mokheseng.

Mokheseng went on to say that when it comes to reporting electricity problems, the precinct is not the right place to go.

“But if the community knows of any electricity cable theft, it can be reported at the precinct and we will react with urgency,” he said.

When asked how many people can be kept in a holding cell at one time, Mokheseng said the cells are meant to hold criminals for a short period of time.

“I don’t think there will be time whereby we will have a large number of people in. We will keep people for a while, while we are still booking them into the nearest police station,” Mokheseng explained.

Francisco Magolelo, an excited community member, said the entire community of Katlehong 2 is happy about the precinct.

“We are a community that is affected by crime because we don’t have a police station nearby that will react fast if we cry for help. I hope the community members will work hand in hand with the police officers who will be posted for duty at this station and that the police officers will serve this community honestly,” said Magolelo.