It’s time to act against crime
Residents called for increased police visibility, especially at known hotspots, which they believed would deter crime
Estcourtonians made one thing clear, tangible action is required to fight the scourge of violent crimes that have taken over the town.
This was a recurring topic among residents that attended a meeting at the Estcourt Town Hall today (February 24), where Uthukela District Commissioner of Police Major General Jabulani Khumalo addressed residents and members from the business sector.
At the outset, Khumalo said that the envisioned partnership between police and the community to combat crime was “not really happening”.
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He said that the lack of co-operation between business, police and the community was “having a detrimental effect of the well-being of people in the Uthukela district”.
Khumalo admitted that the faith in police is dwindling, and residents are often placed at risk when their identities are revealed after reporting a crime.
“Contact me directly if you want to report a crime. I am cutting out the middle man. Criminals come from the community, when a crime is committed, someone in the community knows who they are,” he said. The Major General may be contacted on 082 782 6724.
Khumalo said that while resources at police stations may not be abundant, they are adequate in the fight against crime.
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He said he was aware of a minority of police that were colluding with criminals, labelling it as a “challenge”.
One of the foremost plans was to bring back foot patrols, which was heartening for residents, who said that the lack of police visibility contributed to the increased crime in Estcourt.
When residents had an opportunity to address the Major General, they were clear that it was time to stop talking and start to act.
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They raised concerns about Estcourt being in the news for “unsound reasons” and while they agreed that a solid partnership between all stakeholders is integral, they demanded that police be more proactive when tackling crime, especially in known hotspots.
The recent spike in murders was also highlighted, with one resident saying that people don’t feel safe in Estcourt, which was hampering economic growth.
“We can’t bring businesses to town; people are shopping in other towns because they don’t feel safe. Our town is dying a fast death, we need action and answers. We live in a lawless society,” said one resident.
It was agreed that a total “clean-up of the town” was needed and that the local municipality is a vital partner.
Other concerns raised included the status of the CCTV cameras, no visible policing in town and at hotspots, the influx of “paras” from other towns as well as service delivery concerns like overgrown verges and street lights that aren’t operational, saying these provided the perfect hiding places for would-be criminals.
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