MEC vows to tackle crime-infested areas
The MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, promised to engage the acting provincial police commissioner, Maj Gen Phahla, to intervene.
Just four days before the alleged rhino poaching kingpin, Sydney Petros Mabuza, was shot and killed in broad daylight by unknown suspects, local residents had called Lowvelder Express to complain about the high crime rate and the poor police service within the Hazyview area.
“We as members of the community have been opening cases at the Hazyview Police Station, but all the cases have not been attended to. We now live in fear, because criminals do as they please around here,” said Billy Mashego when he called the newspaper.
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“Crime is very rife here. There are known rival gangs and they continue to terrorise community members as if they rule the town. The police are not helping us at all. We need serious intervention.”
Shortly after Mashego’s call, four family members were allegedly shot and killed in execution-style in Madras just outside Hazyview on Wednesday June 16. On Thursday, Mabuza was gunned down.
Responding to allegations of poor service at the Hazyview Police Station, the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, promised to engage the acting provincial police commissioner, Maj Gen Phahla, to intervene.
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“We take these allegations seriously. I want to promise the people around the Hazyview policing area that we will get to the bottom of this matter and see where the problem is. It is the duty of the police to fight crime and protect our communities from criminals. We will have to come up with a turnaround strategy to salvage the situation,” said Shongwe.
The MEC added that he had just embarked on a campaign to visit all crime-infested areas, and to engage with members of the community to work together to find lasting solutions against the scourge of crime.
“We launched this community imbizo at eMalahleni, and we will continue targeting all the crime-infested areas of our communities, including Hazyview and Bushbuckridge,” he said.
