LETTER – Authorities need to act regarding disturbances at Pet Dam

Renier Botha writes:

Dear Editor,

With reference to the article regarding the mess and disturbances at the Pet Dam, the following needs mentioning:

Ermelo SAPS has an obligation to enforce all of the laws in South Africa. This include laws relating to traffic offences as well as municipal by-laws.

SAPS therefore has no excuse for not enforcing the laws relating to this matter.

And Ermelo is part of South Africa, so the laws apply here as well!

The big problem lies in the new policy of community policing, in that SAPS must do their duty in such a way that the “community” is not offended. This in my opinion is bulls**t. They must do their job, end of story!

How difficult can it be to launch a police crime prevention operation?

1.There are two or three access points to the dam, which can be closed off quite easily.

2. There are six roads leading to and from the area, which should be patrolled to pull over and arrest motorists leaving the Pet Dam area under the influence.

Surely this should be an easy crime prevention operation to plan and execute by SAPS’s station commander and personnel.

I challenge SAPS management in Ermelo to do the job they are expected to, and to attend to the needs and requests of the broader law-abiding citizens of Ermelo, rather than those who are criminally inclined and have no respect for law and order.

It is time to live up to your creed to “Protect and Serve”. There is no excuse for not doing your job.