PHALABORWA – Palabora Copper (PMC) reaffirmed its commitment to community safety and development on Tuesday, July 1, by officially launching two key projects at the entrance to Phalaborwa town.

The projects included the handover of a refurbished emergency trailer to the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and SAPS, as well as the presentation of branded car stickers for three patrol vehicles operated by the newly appointed private security service provider, Mopani Flying Squad.

The initiatives form part of PMC’s broader efforts to support crime prevention and emergency response in the Ba-Phalaborwa area.

The first project involved the donation of a trailer from the Salvage Yard, under PMC’s Security Services Division, to the CPF and SAPS. The previously redundant trailer was refurbished by CPF personnel with the support of a local business, Paint Centre, which assisted with sandblasting and painting.

The trailer will be used during emergencies such as fires and other incidents that require a quick community response.

“The donated trailer has made a huge difference to ensure that the CPF is equipped in one place, which makes it easy for us to respond to emergencies on time. As a non-profit organisation, we rely on donations from local businesses and individuals, but it becomes increasingly difficult to provide support to the community when we are under-resourced. We are grateful to PMC for constantly supporting us in our efforts to fight crime and protect our town,” said CPF chairperson Anton Kellerman.

The second project supports local policing efforts differently. During stakeholder meetings in 2024, community safety emerged as a top concern. In response, Palabora Copper executive, Dennis Modise, pledged to assist the SAPS and the municipal traffic department by providing additional security resources.

This led to the appointment of the Mopani Flying Squad through a public request for community security support.

Mopani Flying Squad has been tasked with patrolling high-crime areas, assisting with traffic management, and identifying emerging safety issues.

The team will operate 24/7 and serve all communities within Ba-Phalaborwa.

Meanwhile, just one day after their deployment, the Mopani Flying Squad team joined SAPS in successfully apprehending a suspect during a house-breaking in Namakgale on Wednesday night, July 2.

“As Mopani Flying Squad, we would like to thank PMC for allowing us to be part of their crime prevention efforts within the community. We are committed to ensuring that crime is reduced in our communities, as we are also members of this community. We appreciate the efforts PMC is making to enhance safety, and we are ready to work alongside SAPS and the CPF to fight crime in our town,” said California Ramoshaba, Office Manager of Mopani Flying Squad.

The Namakgale Police Station commander, Col Sesinyana Bila, praised the partnership.

“Fighting crime is not only the responsibility of the police alone, with stakeholders such as PMC and Mopani Flying squad, we are on the right track as we are all part of the Ba-Phalaborwa community, and crime affects us all.”

PMC security and radiation manager Dr Riaan van der Westhuizen stated that the company recognises the direct impact of community safety on its operations and workforce. He emphasised that PMC’s support for local safety structures reflects its sense of accountability and commitment as an integral part of the Ba-Phalaborwa community.

The CPF emergency line is available 24/7 at 071 0444 850.