Police hold a crime imbizo in Halala community hall
"We wanted the community to work closely with us to help fight crime."
Soshanguve police and residents of Block H held a crime imbizo at the Halala community hall last week Thursday.
The police were trying to find ways in which they could work with the community to try and reduce crime in the area.
The imbizo follows a meeting that was held on Wednesday to discuss how stakeholders can work together to eradicate crime in the area.
It was attended by police, the TMPD, Gauteng Traffic, the Department of Correctional Services, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Community Safety and the Soshanguve Taxi Owners Association.
Recently, residents raised concerns about incidents where they were robbed of their belongings by people who jump off a taxi and rob them.
Others raised concerns about the number of murders and violent crimes in the community.
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Soshanguve police spokesperson Constable Nhlanhla Zondi said the station felt it was important to call this meeting.
“Recently, we have been facing carjacking, house robberies, business robberies, assaults, street robberies and murders. We wanted to urge the community to work closely with us to fight crime.”
Zondi said most of the community members raised concerns about police visibility.
“We explained to them that they need to partner with us via a CPF so that patrols are intensified. It is difficult for one vehicle to patrol the whole block. Having them partner with us will help a lot.
“We will continue to consult with the community regularly.”
Jeffry Lebea, a community member who was at the meeting, said the initiative will help mend the relationship between the community and the police.
“People have lost faith in the police for various reasons. We have a lot of drug dealers in our area, taverns are not closing on time.
“Recently, people have been shot and killed in full view of residents. Residents are also being robbed inside taxis while house robberies and housebreakings are on the rise.
“We have a lot we are worried about,” Lebea concluded.
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