‘Crime is hectic at the moment’ – Calls for communities to cooperate with police

Police Minister Bheki Cele has called on Tshwane communities to cooperate with the police this festive season.

Yesterday, he led the annual Festive Season Inspection Roadshow in Pretoria and visited the Akasia soccer field for a parade, followed by the Mabopane station, Soshanguve Crossing Mall and Wonder Park Mall community engagement and concluded at a roadblock in Kgosi Mampuru Road.

‘Crime is hectic at the moment

Akasia CPF member Tienie Voster said the crime was high in the area. “Crime is hectic at the moment.

“House robberies and house break-ins continue to rise. An old-age centre was targeted twice this week and robbed of cars and cellphones.”

Voster said everybody thought when the foreigners went home over the festive season, crime would decrease. “It didn’t drop because often locals were found committing these crimes,” he said.

Amogelang Motsoeneng said he wanted to work for the police when he grew up. “I don’t feel scared here, I feel proud. One day I want to fly the helicopter for the police,” he said.

Motsoeneng met Warrant Officer Len Willemse with his K9 search and rescue dog Jaro at one of the stalls at Wonder Park shopping centre.

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A resident, Thandi Nkwe, said the heavy police presence made her feel safe. “It’s good they should not just keep it up but should double it,” she said, adding that she had been a victim of crime before.

“It should be hosted more often, before peak times such as holiday seasons, it should be constantly to keep us informed,” she said.

Gauteng special operations search and rescue technician Dennis Visser said the festive season was always hectic.

“It breaks our spirit when police are placed under a negative light. We know how hard we work; long hours, few hours of sleep,” he said.

Spokesperson Sello Maremane said Gauteng Traffic Police arrested a motorist driving a white VW Golf 8 on Thursday night for excessive speeding along the N14.

He was caught doing 238km/h in a 120km/h zone.

“The speedster has been detained at Wierdabrug police station,” said Maremane.

“He is facing charges relating to reckless and negligent driving, with an alternative charge of exceeding the prescribed speed limit of 120km/h.”

Maremane said Gauteng experienced a high number of fatalities reported since the start of the festive season period.

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“Most fatalities recorded are pedestrians. Over 80 lost their lives on the roads.

“Among the fatal accidents that occurred was a bakkie that crashed after towing an overloaded trailer on Thursday morning along the N14 towards Tshwane, resulting in three people losing their lives and 14 sustaining injuries,” he said.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za