Police visibility set to increase

The Ekurhuleni chief of police, Bafana Mahlabe, together with the executive mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele, launched a fervent festive season campaign in the mayor’s parlour, in Germiston, on December 2.

“We are launching the Ekurhuleni Festive Season Operation Bumper-To-Bumper: The Escalation, which is aimed at dealing with crime prevention, traffic law and by-law enforcements,” said Mahlabe.

“We will be conducting a variety of operations throughout Ekurhuleni, in the form of roadblocks, stop-and-searches and patrolling in the CBDs among other things.

“The roadblocks are aimed at making sure that there is compliance with road safety, and the patrolling of CBDs is also crucial as we know that the festive season is infested with criminals and criminal activity increases.”

Mahlabe also indicated that patrols will not be limited to the streets of the CBDs.

“During this season there is a lot of vulnerability, as people take it for granted that law enforcers are not easily available,” he said.

“We want to change that perception as the EMPD, and make sure that there is police visibility.

“We will be looking at malls, because criminals are increasingly attacking malls for hijackings and tracing people making withdrawals; so we will be on the lookout for such perpetrators.

“We have received concerns in the past stating that one of the reasons crime has increased is because police visibility is not felt within communities.”

The chief of police also mentioned that their operations will include the targeting of drug peddlers.

“Drug peddling is found mostly in the Germiston, Alberton, Boksburg, Benoni, Springs and Kempton Park CBD areas, and we will be tackling those areas,” he said.

“We have joint operations with the SAPS and have included home affairs and other departments.

“Land invasion is another area we will not leave unattended, because we can’t have a situation where people illegally occupy land or houses that are intended to be allocated to the rightful people.

“Drinking and walking has been added to the concept of drinking and driving, because it is also a challenge as it increases pedestrian fatalities.

“In the past, the focus has been on the vehicles, but now pedestrians are now a danger because they cross highways and busy streets under the influence.

“Also during this season, we know that people travel a lot and as a result their homes become vulnerable, so we are going to increase patrols in the townships and suburbs to curb housebreakings.”

After officially launching the campaign, Mahlabe together with Gungubele, joined EMPD officers conducting a roadblock on the M2.

Among other things they interacted with motorists and shared messages of safety.

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