West SAPS and residents attend imbizo on crime
“At the end of the day, we all have one enemy in common, which is crime. We can differ on many things but we all want to get rid of crime. This can only be achieved through working together.”
During a recent imbizo hosted by the Pretoria West SAPS, residents could confront their local authorities on crime issues affecting their community.
The imbizo was held on the corner of Helen Meisner and Sekelgras streets at a nearby church in Danville.
“There’s rampant lawlessness, disregard for by-laws, no streetlights and not enough police presence in the area. The TMPD is non-existent in Pretoria West, criminals know that Pretoria West is a safe haven for them,” said one disgruntled member of the local community patrollers.
Along with community patrollers, the other authorities in attendance included members of the West SAPS station hierarchy, CPF, TMPD, department of community safety, ward councillors, and the SAPS youth crime prevention desk among others.
The key issues raised by residents during the engagement included the high number of hijackings, pavement robberies, drug use and distribution, lack of TMPD visibility, being targeted by criminals after cases are reported, illegal businesses, illegal dumping, lack of by-law enforcement, lack of case follow-ups and housebreakings, among others.
One local ward councillor, Councillor Mphati, urged residents to join the fight against crime and not stand by idly waiting for the police to do everything.
“We are reluctant as residents to assist the government to fight crime. It’s high time that we as residents stop supporting and socialising with criminals and report them instead. The City must assist, yes, but the bigger fight lies with us,” said Mphati.
Another common issue raised was the lack of trust between the community and the police. Some residents voiced concerns about police being seen in the same areas they’ve been called out to police, relaxing with perpetrators and supporting illegal businesses.
The authorities did not take the punches lying down, however. During Lieutenant-Colonel Margaret Nkwane’s address, the station commander for the Pretoria West SAPS assured residents that they are simply working with what they have.
“There are 36 stations in the region and everyone has to help everyone. This means we don’t always have the manpower to accommodate a large area like Pretoria West all the time,” said Nkwane.
The station commander also echoed the sentiments of councillor Mphati, urging the community to work with police by reporting criminals and not supporting them. Residents were accused of supporting the same illegal businesses they want police to remove, defending the by-law contraveners under the guise of wanting to put food on the table.
“When we announce business inspections and then on the day, the scrap yards or second-hand dealers are closed all of a sudden during a weekday. There’s a hesitancy when it comes to reporting crimes and law-breakers, but without the help of the community and limited resources, we will be one step behind,” Nkwane continued.
CPF chairperson, Mr Nkosi had the following to say, “There’s a sense that we hardly hear your concerns, we want to assure you however that if we ever let you down, it’s never our intention.”
The police assured residents that a satellite police station is in the works for next year, and though not confirmed, it is aimed at being developed in Lotus Gardens.
Residents with grievances concerning cases not being followed up had their case numbers taken and were assured that their matters will be attended to. The police also assured residents that festive season plans are underway, but no specifics were shared as to not tip off criminals.
Colonel Nkwane stated that SAPS members were requested not to take leave this December, to help police the area.
The station commander also assured residents that police will tackle hijackings in 2023. This comes as Pretoria West was dubbed the hijacking capital of the country when recent crime quarterly statistics indicated that the area is responsible for the most hijacking cases reported.
“At the end of the day, we all have one enemy in common, which is crime. We can differ on many things but we all want to get rid of crime. This can only be achieved through working together,” concluded Nkwane.
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