The Democratic Alliance’s Dean Macpherson has slammed government for refusing to address the crime rate in Stanger, and has vowed to stage a protest to demand action.
More than a month ago, he called on police minister Bheki Cele to meet with residents and discuss an intervention plan after it was found that Stanger police station had a less than two percent conviction on reported crime.
During a DA site inspection at Stanger SAPS in June, senior SAPS staff did not pitch to answer questions on the operations of the station and at a community meeting later in the day, councillors heard that the community lived in fear and could hardly walk down the road without being harassed.
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Macpherson, the DA Ilembe constituency head and member of parliament said the minister’s office has been constantly dodging the meeting request.
“The DA requested an urgent meeting with Bheki Cele as well as the minister of justice, Michael Masutha, to devise an intervention that will restore order and bring peace to the streets of Stanger. This was also to show that the government takes this matter seriously.
“Regrettably, the constant dodging, delays and unwillingless by the minister’s office to commit to a meeting have only reinforced the resident’s perceptions that government simply does not care about the residents of Stanger,” said Macpherson.
Statistics from Stanger SAPS revealed that for serious crimes including murder, rape, and robbery, there was an average conviction rate of 1.4 percent and a zero percent conviction rate for hijacking.
One Rocky Park resident Vallen Naicker, said his house had been robbed twice in a year where jewelry and cellphones were stolen. He said he had received no feedback from the police investigation.
“I do not think anyone expects feedback. It is rare to hear that the criminals have been caught. We just have to spend our own money to beef up security.”
DA Stanger councillor Madhun Sing said that most action against crime came from neighborhood watch groups and private security.
Macpherson said the party would plan a protest to the police station if Cele kept refusing their meeting request.
“This approach of ducking and diving by minister Cele seems to be at odds with his approach to Westburg, Gauteng and Bonteheuwel in the Western Cape when he rushed there quicker than a blue light motorcade to address their concerns. Why is he treating the people of Stanger differently? Why do they not deserve his urgent attention?
“The fact of the matter is that life in Stanger has become unbearable under a police service which cannot protect residents from criminals.”
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