Newlands residents sends warning to criminals
'We will not tolerate crime!'
“We believe there are enough good people in Newlands to outnumber the bad people, and bring stability and safety to our streets.”
These were the words of Bishop Ed Bilong from the Grace Court Impact Centre during the launch of their crime prevention campaign – Busted! The aim of the campaign is to get residents, police, government and security companies to join forces to send a strong message to criminal elements in the community: “We will not tolerate crime!”
The keynote speaker on the day of the launch was the Gauteng Member of the Electoral Committee for Public Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, who answered concerned residents’ questions. Some of these concerns included slow reaction times from police members, dockets going missing, lack of police visibility and police members befriending criminals.
Malobane assured residents of her commitment to fighting crime and encouraged community members to hold the police accountable. “Sometimes when you come to events such as this, you get embarrassed by some of the things that are said, but these are the daily cries of our people. I’ve said it publicly – if the police decide to be friends with criminals and not the people, the people will be enemies of the police and we will act decisively,” she said.
Community members were urged to declare war on criminals, but to love the police, and she reassured them that community members who reported criminal activities or corruption would be protected and the allegations investigated by her office. “It is my mandate that from now on, a police vehicle that visits the house of a criminal or a shop without any investigation that is supposed to be done or any suspect arrested, [is going to be in trouble]. Police must be scared to visit the wrong places,” Malobane said.
Bilong concluded the day’s activities by asking community members not to stay silent and quoted Napoleon Bonaparte, “The world suffers, not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people.” He said that the the vision of the movement was to have a vibrant, clean and safe community that would be attractive to investors and developers.
“Together with the business sector, government, schools, faith-based organisations, the police and the community at large, Grace Court believes this is possible. All stakeholders will continue to meet with the local police and its relevant structures to create programmes and events that will help Newlands to reach the goal of creating a safer community for all,” Bilong concluded.
Community members that would like more information can call 011 026 8351 or email info@gracecourt.org.
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