Top cop jumps in to assist with city clean-up operation

The fight against crime and especially drug-related activity in the older parts of Polokwane as well the city centre, Nirvana and Westenburg continues to yield positive results as several suspects were arrested and high quantities of dagga confiscated during a recent operation.
After returning from the State of the Province Address in Lebowakgomo on Friday, Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba, joined an operation conducted by the Police and Polokwane Municipality supported by community members of the newly established crime-fighting organisation Mighty Tactical Response Services (TRS) in the CBD focussing on areas around the taxi rank and lower parts of the city centre.
The operation was characterised by stop and searches, visiting of various businesses and engaging with shoppers and business owners. Among the senior officers were Polokwane Police Station Commander Gift Makhubele as well as high profile officer of the provincial office, including Ledwaba who led from the front, searching people and vendors and succeeded in recovering big quantities of dagga.
Shabier Valjie of Migthy TRS indicated that the organisation supported the operation and remarked that 22 suspects were arrested for smoking dagga in public, 30 undocumented foreigners were apprehended and seven were detained for drinking alcohol in public. He further informed that three were also arrested for illegal gambling and dagga weighing approximately 10 kg and 83 counterfeit DVDs and 73 CDs were confiscated.
A total of 323 persons and 27 vehicles were searched during the operation.
“We are here to continue giving support to the Police and contributing towards the fight against crime in the city. It has to stop and we are willing to go the extra mile to protect the community,” Valjie said.
Mighty TRS has already showed their dedication by not only patrolling day and night but by being visible at the cemetery in the city centre to protect residents who visit the graves of their loved ones. “We decided to patrol the area every Friday and Sunday when residents are most likely to visit the cemetery. We are also willing to assist with security during a funeral because vehicles have been broken into during service before,” Valjie said.
Provincial Police Spokesperson Moatshe Ngoepe said that operation Swara Tsotsi is one of the Police’s ways to address crime across the province as well as in Polokwane.
Spokesperson of the Polokwane Municipality, Thipa Selala indicated that their officers were focussing on people sleeping on the streets after several complaints were received from the public and business owners recently.
He remarked that sleeping on the streets is not the only problem as some of the homeless people also make fires to stay warm during the cold which is not only a hazard but in contradiction with the city’s by-laws.

Story: RC Myburgh
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