The police in De Deur, under the command of their station commander Colonel Zachariah Ranake, took decisive action to address crime head-on. This was executed through a community engagement held in Thulamtwana, Sector 3, on May 13.

Present at the meeting were Colonel Ranake, De Deur SAPS Management, SAPS officials, the Vereeniging Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, and the De Deur Crime Policing Forum.
Colonel Ranake says the meeting highlights the importance of coordinating with the community in the war against crime.

Addressing the community, Colonel Ranake says, “This is where intelligence is gathered, where SAPS reports back, and where the line is drawn between order and lawlessness in our precinct.”

“We urge residents to attend these engagements. Silence protects criminals. Presence empowers police. This is how we reclaim our streets and break the back of criminality in Thulamtwana,” he stated.

Police spokesperson Constable Mampho Mahlomola states that the community responded with force, adding that community engagement is the backbone of policing.

“More than 150 residents stood up, showed up, and made their voices heard, refusing to give in to the circumstances of criminality. When the community and SAPS are in one accord, crime has nowhere to run. We operate on zero Crime tolerance. We enforce safety. We protect the communities,” she concludes.