Tshwane community safety and emergency services MMC has emphasised the need for CCTV cameras after a shooting at an accident scene involving a school transport vehicle.
MMC Karen Meyer expressed shock about the accident that occurred on Thursday afternoon at Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Pretoria Road in Nellmapius.
Tshwane metro police spokesperson senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba said there was a collision involving a taxi and a learner transport vehicle.
“It turned violent when a passerby carrying a firearm intervened in the ensuing squabble about who caused the collision,” he said.
“A woman alleges that she was hit by a bullet when a fight between taxi drivers and the community ensued at the scene of the accident.”
Mahamba said according to reports, a man had stopped at the scene to inquire as to what had happened, leading to the accident.
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“An altercation between the people involved ensued. They discovered that the man had a firearm and tried to disarm him,” he said.
Mahamba said during the squabble, the firearm went off and the passerby was wounded in the leg.
“Police are investigating the collision and a case of attempted murder.”
Meyer said this incident was proof that “there is a need for CCTV cameras in Pretoria”.
“The residents of Tshwane deserve to be safe and feel safe especially in their day-to-day activities across the city.”
Meyer conveyed her sympathy to the shot woman and her family affected by the incident and wished her a speedy recovery.
Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa assured Tshwane residents during the annual community safety parade that there were plans to restore the operation of cameras in the CBD before the end of this month.
This after he undertook an attack over the “large number” of non-functional CCTV cameras in the CBD, two weeks ago.
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The mayor took part in a radio debate in which Power FM presenter Bob Mabena said: “The cameras haven’t been working for several years now – since 2016.”
Locals who spoke to Rekord agreed the CBD was far too dangerous not to have any working CCTV cameras.
Local college student Lerato Jele blamed crime in the CDB on nyaope drug addicts.
“The city is full of them. They are the ones behind such petty crimes,” said Jele.
“Walking around the CBD as students we fear being robbed. I think that is what scares me most.”
Clifford Ntsoane, a student from Limpopo, said students were targeted.
“We get especially nervous now because we have to carry fees and textbook monies on us. With the cameras not working, we are even more of a target”.
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Ntsoane said the police were “useless”.
“There are lots of crimes reported in the CBD, but never any proof – all because the cameras are not working.”
He said fellow students have been pick-pocketed on several occasions.
Mokgalapa said the restoration of cameras would soon include the entrance of various townships as well.
Central police station management recently complained about the non-functional cameras.
However, Mokgalapa said the police should be “out on the streets” instead of blaming the metro.
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