‘Crime in CBD scares away customers’

Incidents of smash-and-grab, pick-pocketing and robberies have become common crimes in the Central Business District of Polokwane, another businessman this week told Polokwane Observer.
This, he says, affects business negatively, while the perpetrators are becoming accustomed to no or little consequence for their actions.
“These days, customers stay away for their own safety. Criminals operating in the area usually target individuals more than they target businesses, but businesses have fallen victim several times too.”
Even if individuals are targeted, business suffers, he said.
He added that the availability of drugs on the street has also increased.
“The people who sold drugs when I was a child, are still here today making money. It becomes too easy for residents to purchase the drugs.”
He describes the police’s failure to control crime in the area as a major concern.
“If we allow these criminals to take over our streets, residents are going to be sceptical about coming here. Instead, they will opt to go to the bigger malls as it is becoming too dangerous to shop here.”
He said even though he is an active member of the Community Police Forum in Sector 1, more intervention from the police is necessary.
“We have monthly meetings and we have some really helpful officers in the team, but the overall participation from the police is poor. The officers who do their jobs well operate in the shadows of the rotten ones.”
The man claims, from personal experience, it is seemingly easier to get police assistance when you have a personal contact or if a police officer is in trouble.
“If you tell the police that one of their colleagues is in trouble they will be here in 15 minutes, but if a civilian is in trouble it takes roughly an hour for a team to be dispatched, despite the police station being in the CBD.”
He told Polokwane Observer that the law is also not supportive of business owners who try to curb crime.
“If I witness a crime or I happen to catch it on security camera, I am not allowed to open a case at the police station. The victim is the one allowed to open a case and in most instances the victims are traumatised and just want to get over the whole ordeal. Residents generally don’t open cases anymore because when they do, the perpetrators are released the next day which decreases their faith in the justice system.”
Police Spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojafela says the law does allow anyone who witness any type of crime, to open a criminal case if the incident happened in their presence.
Although he may not divulge how many patrol cars there are in the CBD, Mojafela said a number of vehicles are dispatched inside the city to patrol.

Story: Umpha Manenzhe