Police up their game along Nelson Mandela Drive

Sunnyside police have introduced extra measures to fight crime on motorists and pedestrians in Nelson Mandela Drive through Sunnyside and Arcadia. Sunnyside Station commander, Brigadier Nhlakanipho Mthembu, announced this on Thursday after receiving complaints by residents, and Rekord reports about continued crime in the area.

Crimes included murders, robberies, rapes and smash-and-grabs. Sunnyside police are planning swift action to stop criminals from terrorising the community.

Brigadier Mthembu told Rekord recently crimes take place in the morning and afternoon when police change shifts. He has now formed a team that would make sure that there are police on duty in the area during shift changes.

Following a number of serious crimes Mthembu said Sunnyside Police have upped their game in terms of patrolling and Tshwane police have installed lights along Nelson Mandela Drive a few weeks after a murder in April. However, criminals have now shifted their activities to soft targets and areas along Nelson Mandela that were previously not regarded crime hot spots.

“We have found that criminals are now robbing mostly nurses of Netcare Femina Hospital. This suggests, due to police presence, they have moved away from where they were doing crime before,” Mthembu said.

Since 2012 a police trailer is stationed at one of the crime hotspots on the corner of Nelson Mandela Drive and Robert Sobukwe Street. This has improved police visibility in the area and also made it easier for residents to report crime on the spot. Police were able to respond quickly and reach crime scenes sooner because they were close to the hotspots.

Brigadier Mthembu says this made life difficult for criminals, but they continued killing and robbing people in dark areas, like a 22-year-old Tshwane University of Technology student who was stabbed on Nelson Mandela Drive in April this year.

Although most residents appreciated the police initiative, some were still experiencing crime and wanted more to be done.

A resident, Tshepo Tleane, said robberies had decreased in the area but raised concern about the high usage of a drug, commonly known as nyaope: “Drug addicts buy the highly addictive nyaope in Brown Street in the city centre and come back and commit crime in Sunnyside while under the influence.”

Another resident, Confidence Mahlangu, said she was the victim of robbery in May and felt the crime levels were high along Nelson Mandela Drive: “Criminals robbed me off my handbag. In handbag I had money, a student card and identity document and cell phone.” Mahlangu wanted more measures to stop the crime.”

Brigadier Mthembu urged residents to work with police in fighting crime by reporting any suspicious activities. He said police had also conducted numerous crime fighting operations and revealed it was not only nyaope drug addicts who committed crime but also people from the other areas.

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