Cable theft remains a concern in Westenburg policing area
Cable theft remains one of the top crimes committed in the Westenburg area.
POLOKWANE – This is according to official police statistics recorded in the last months.
WO Constance Manada on June 10 presented a crime overview report to residents in the area during a crime prevention campaign which was led by the ward councillor and member of the Polokwane Mayoral Committee (MMC) for housing, Joosuf Pemma at the Westenburg community hall.
In addition to cable theft, burglary, house robberies and general theft are the top crimes reported in the area, she said.
“All police stations in Limpopo have the problem of cable theft. In Westenburg the hotspots are the N1 South, Ivydale and Alpha Sand area and the N1 North between the international airport and ZZ2,” Manada commented.
Most residents who attended the campaign urged the leadership to fasttrack the election of Community Policing Forums (CPFs) under the Westenburg police station to ensure a collective effort towards curbing crime.
Resident Jape Sehlapelo said locals need to prioritise their fellow citizens when they need, for example, general labourers as many people nowadays resort to crime when they cannot make ends meet.
The MMC member for community safety, Lilian Shadung urged residents to buy into the idea of a sustainable crime prevention programme, saying government will give them the necessary support.
Pemma promised that the election of a new CPF leadership will be prioritised.
In the meantime, by-law enforcement officers of the Polokwane Municipality recently made arrests in relation to cable theft within the Westenburg policing area.
According to a statement released by the municipality on June 12, officers arrested a person for the possession of stolen cables.
On June 7, four suspects were detained and handed over to the police by municipal officers for the possession of water pumps.
One of the suspects has a pending case as he was arrested earlier this year for cable theft.
The Polokwane Municipality thanked all role players including the community, CPF and the police for their cooperation in the fight against criminal activities across the municipal area, saying these arrests are testament to successes of a collective effort.
