Speaking during the ceremony, which was held at the Diepsloot Show Ground, Nhleko said community prosperity can only take place when there is peace. “Peace brings development, and to achieve that, we need no crime,” said Nhleko adding that crime should be the number one enemy for everyone.
He also urged men to desist from harassing children and women saying that men should protect women who bring warmth to homes.
The minister handed over 21 branded police vans to the acting Diepsloot Police Station Commander, Colonel Anesh Maharaj.
Nhleko said the resources his department was pouring into Diepsloot Police Station were a clear sign that his ministry was determined to eradicate crime in Diepsloot.
Deputy police minister, Maggie Sotyu, who also attended the event, described Diepsloot Police Station as one of the best police stations in the country.
“I have been to many police stations in this country and Diepsloot Police Station is one of the best,” she said.
Speaking during the event, acting National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane attributed the high crime rate in Diepsloot to the unbridled consumption of alcohol.
Phahlane said there were more than 260 liquor outlets in Diepsloot.
“We, however, think that the number of places where beer is sold is far more than we know,” said Phahlane.
Phahlane urged his Diepsloot colleagues to be accessible to members of the community. He also promised to beef up the meagre staff complement of 120 police officers who currently have to serve one million residents of the crime-infested township.
Gauteng’s Community Safety MEC, Sibongile Nkosi-Malobane drew cheers from the crowd when she urged women not to withdraw cases they open against men. “If he stabs or beats you up, don’t withdraw the case after opening it. Police must not entertain withdrawals because women get pressure from their communities to drop cases. What normally happens is that the same man will beat you again and again, so let him go to jail,” said Nkosi-Malobane.
Diepsloot’s men and women in blue moved into the new police station last year before the official opening of the building. Construction of the police station started 10 years ago and the commissioning of the building had been deferred several times in the past three years.
Diepsloot police have been working from the local Metro police offices located in the populous township.
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