THE Durban North police gave a clear scale of the challenges facing them in terms of crime statistics at last week’s community imbizo in uMhlanga.

The imbizos, held monthly, are a way for police stations and its leadership to engage with the local community while also allowing communities to address concerns and raise issues affecting them.

The imbizo was attended by a handful of residents as well as the acting station commander for the Durban North police station, Lieutenant Colonel Sujith Rohith, Captain Tracy Mey, commander of the Crime Information Management and Analysis Centre (CIMAC) and Durban Metro Police Service colonel Raymond Nkejane.

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Some of the newly voted in members of the interim Durban North CPF Exco were also present, as was the chairperson of the Umhlanga Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (URRA), Terri MacLarty.

Mey discussed crime stats which revealed a notable shift in crime patterns and hotspots.

One of the stats highlighted was the increase in contact crimes, which include robberies and assaults in the uMhlanga village and Gateway precincts.

“When compiling the stats for the first quarter, April to June, we’ve seen a decrease in property-related crimes (burglaries, theft out of motor vehicles and house robberies). This is the biggest decrease in the first quarter in the last five years. We’ve seen a significant increase in contact-related crimes, particularly in the village and in the Gateway area,” she said.

This spoke to a point raised by the ratepayers’ body which had seen an increase in public disturbances, drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in the uMhlanga village precinct.

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