Shongwe leads crime-busting spree

The joint operation that was led by Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, last Friday saw several people being arrested for offences ranging possession of firearm, to public drinking and many of the taverns and shebeens had been disregarding the National Disaster Regulations for Covid-19 with regard to social distancing, wearing of face masks and sanitisation.

The operation saw the police and traffic officers coming together to patrol and visit 14 liquor outlets and taverns in the area to ensure compliance while enhancing law enforcement visibility.

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The Overall Friday was a campaign that was launched by Shongwe when he had previously been at the helm of this department. “Police must not service crime because our communities deserve to live in peace. The SAPS must be respected by all because they are prime protectors of communities,” he said.

This operation was aimed at promoting law-enforcement visibility and also enhancing working together of various stakeholders within crime prevention and security departments (JCPS) in order to reduce crime and road crashes.

The programme was implemented in targeted areas on specific weekends. Shongwe said the programme will go a long way towards ensuring that law enforcement officers are respected by all communities. He expressed unhappiness about the growing disrespect towards the police and traffic officers by many people. He has also called on law enforcers to do their work without fear or favour to bring wanted suspects to book.

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The MEC warned the police not to be friendly with criminals because if they are associated with shady characters, they will not be respected in their communities. He has called for the return of the tactical response team saying the unit was key towards securing communities and dealing with crime especially in areas identified as hotspots.

“We all have a role to play to protect one another from Covid-19. This includes liquor traders and those who visit taverns must comply with the regulations,” concluded Shongwe.