The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga applauded the hard work of police officials deployed in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth in attempting to quell the gang related violence in the area.
After the visit of the Minister of Police, Mr Bheki Cele to the areas of Gelvandale and Bethelsdorp in December 2018, Lt Gen Ntshinga deployed extra manpower to assist the existing complement of police members performing duties in these two precincts. The National Intervention Unit and Tactical Response Team comprising of 30 members were deployed in December 2018 for a period of 3 months.
The multidisciplinary approach to policing these areas and which includes the efforts of the Mount Road Operational Command Centre, Crime Combating Unit, Visible Gang Intervention Team, PE K9 unit, Crime Intelligence, Provincial Organised Crime Investigation, Metro Police and PE Flying Squad, is beginning to yield the desired results of ensuring that the people of Gelvandale and Bethelsdorp are and feel safe.
Intelligence driven operations, daily stop and searches, high density patrols and the execution of search warrants and warrants of arrests have become the norm in terms of vigorous policing in these areas.
Since the 3rd of December 2018, a total of 119 suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, dealing and possession of drugs. Ten illegal firearms were confiscated, 122 rounds of ammunition seized, drugs with an estimated street value of R500 000 was seized and cash (R113 000) from the sale of drugs was confiscated.
During a stop and search operation in Helenvale 10 January 2019, a 33 year old male was arrested by members of NIU and detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. It is alleged that at about 11:30 at the corners of Voissen and Reginald streets, the suspect’s vehicle a white VW Polo was stopped by police and upon searching it, a revolver and ammunition was found inside the vehicle.
Lt Gen Ntshinga has re-iterated that community safety cannot be compromised at the hands of ruthless and heartless criminals. ‘We will continue with our disruptions and hard core policing until we are satisfied that these areas are stabilised and the community no longer feel threatened and are safe from these criminals. We appreciate the community’s partnership with us and appeal to them not to harbour these criminals but to continue to expose them,’ added Lt Gen Ntshinga.
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