The recent murders and attacks on our police stations is of grave concern for the South African Police Service. The most recent attack on the police station in Kareedouw in August 2018 has prompted the Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga to conduct an imbizo in the Humansdorp cluster as a way of supporting and involving the community in joint problem identification and solving.
On Friday, 28 September 2018 an imbizo was held at the Humansdorp Country Club in Park Street. Approximately 2000 people from the Humansdorp policing cluster (Joubertina, Stormsriver, Misgund, Kareedouw, Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Patensie, Hankey and Thornhill) as well as neighbouring clusters of Uitenhage, Mount Road, and Motherwell was in attendance.
The MEC for Transport Safety and Liaison, Ms Weziwe Tikana was the keynote speaker at the imbizo. External stakeholders (Metro Police, Dept of Justice, Dept of Correctional Services and Mayors from Kouga and Koukamma municipalities) were among those who attended.
Messages of support from the Provincial Chairperson of the Community Policing Forum as well as the Department of Correctional Services were pledged. The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Ntshinga while highlighting the purpose for this event informed the community that ‘it is through engagements such as this that the community and police management can come together to resolve issues pertaining to service delivery by our members of the SAPS.
We are here to explain why the political and administrative leadership have visited Humansdorp and surrounding areas today, 28 September 2018. High on our agenda is the issue of attacks and murders of our police officers in the province. We are also here to exchange views and experiences on how to tackle crime levels within our society and to build strong community partnerships.’ Lt Gen Ntshinga also informed the community that the police officers are at the front line of service delivery therefore their safety and the safeguarding of our police stations are a national priority.
‘Killing of our members not only robs the community of one more government servant but also a child of a parent, a parent of a child and a member of the SAPS family. I am also urging you to report corrupt police officials so that we can deal with them harshly and with no restraint,’ added Lt Gen Ntshinga.
The MEC for Transport Safety and Liaison, Ms Weziwe Tikana appealed to the community to also take responsibility and assist police in preventing crimes. She added that ‘some police stations are as far as 20 km’s away to their residences and this means that we need to also police ourselves. When new taverns are opening in your communities as I have heard from your concerns, I am appealing to you to get involved in public participation and let your voice be heard through the proper channels. Street committees and safety forums are established.’
She encouraged the communities to work hand in hand with police and in so doing together we can eliminate the drug problem that is so rife in our areas. ‘This partnership will result in raising our children with respect and dignity,’ concluded Ms Tikana.
The interaction between the communities from the various areas of the Kouga and Koukamma municipalities concluded on a positive note with police management pledging to attend to their concerns and the communities informed in getting more involved within their local police in eradicating their specific crime related problems.
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