A number of burning issues was hot on the agenda at the recent Cleveland Community Policing Forum (CCPF) meeting, among them the concerns about public drinking in Cleveland policing precinct.
At the meeting, held on November 6, it was announced that four mobile kiosks, to bolster the existing crime prevention structures, will be launched.
It was reported that the kiosk project’s implementation is on the cards ahead of the festive season.
The Joburg East SAPS Cluster, which comprises Cleveland SAPS among two other police stations, will have 12 mobile kiosks designated.
Four of these will be deployed in the Cleveland SAPS policing precinct.
“The Joburg East SAPS Cluster has been allocated stations to be managed by community patrollers across several crime hot spots,” Godfrey Mothibe, CCPF chairman said.
Mothibe said this move will help in fighting crime in the area and enhance the station’s response time.
“The station’s client service centre (CSC) will go from being a single one to extending to five as a result of the launch of the four mobile kiosks. This will spread across the precinct to help fight crime and increase police visibility.”
A crime report highlighting the previous month’s crime statistics for Cleveland SAPS was presented by visible policing (Vispol) commander, Lt Ximbuxu Mushwana.
According to the crime report, there was an increase in the number of hijackings, especially in the Malvern area.
There was also an increase in reports of sexual offences, which is thought to be linked to ongoing liquor problems.
Other crimes where increases were recorded included house and business robberies.
Concerns over public drinking were also noted.
Ward 118 Clr Neuren Pietersen said that he would like to see the SAPS “come down hard on those who perpetrate”.
“I feel the SAPS needs to start tackling drinking in public,” said Pietersen.
“Liquor is a big issue. It is not a minor crime. It is an act which leads to much more severe crimes. For too long, the SAPS has been too lenient on fulfilling their mandate when it comes to liquor.”
Cleveland SAPS spokesperson, Capt Johan Jordaan added his voice to the issue of alcohol abuse.
“I agree that we must do more, however, we just don’t have the people to do it. We just don’t have the manpower to do the job properly,” said Jordaan.
“At best we’ve got two vehicles outside and this is really a problem. The other problem is people drinking in public. We can take them in, and have them handed fines in court but we can’t lock them up in holding cells.”
Mothibe noted that a pre-festive season crime awareness campaign will be held at Park Meadows Shopping Mall on November 24.
“The purpose of this is to distribute pamphlets, magazines and books from the SAPS, JMPD and the Human Rights Commission (HRC),” said Mothibe, adding that this will serve as a warning to communities that they exercise caution over the festive break.
