Lack of police visibility raises concerns
Concerns about the lack of visibility and absence of crime and traffic management by Metro Police in Clairwood has been put in the spotlight by members of the Clairwood and Montclair Business Forums.
MEMBERS of the Clairwood and Montclair Business Forums have raised their concerns about the lack of visibility and crime and traffic management by Metro Police in Clairwood.
The affected areas include Blamey Road in Montclair, the business hub in Clairwood along South Coast Road and all the way through to Edwin Swales. This is according to local business owners who spoke to the Sun and expressed how this issue has severely affected their business.
“The lack of visibility from Metro Police has resulted in the escalation of crime in our business area mentioned. These crimes include street robberies, vehicle and truck theft as well as business robberies. Furthermore, there is a growing concern for the wrongful parking of taxis and large trucks on the roads on one of the double lanes, which further causes traffic obstructions and blocks entrance and delivery points of our stores. This illegal parking and misuse of the road is simply not being monitored,” explained local businessman and chairman of the Montclair Business Forum, Shaffi Mohamed.
Upon walking down South Coast Road in Clairwood, one is met by the lively commotion of taxi drivers competing with buses to win over pedestrians to hop on their minibuses, large trucks taking turns to make pit stops in the middle of the road, motorists hooting in frustration and the everyday hustle and bustle of noise and activities from shop owners and street vendors trying to get by their business day.
According to chairman of Montclair Community Policing Forum (CPF), Aaron Nyadi several pleas by himself and members of the business forum, have been made to a representative of Metro Police as well as Montclair police to have officers patrol the area as a way of managing the increasing criminal activities and traffic obstructions happening in the area. However, these pleas have fallen on deaf ears. “We have discussed this matter with an officer who represents Metro Police at our executive monthly policing forum meetings. The only response we have received to date is that Metro does not have enough personnel to frequently patrol the area. As a concerned community member in support of the local businessmen trying to make a living and crime management, I am appealing to Metro to make efforts to utilise their man power effectively,” said Nyadi.
Responding to public concerns, South Durban Metro Police Service Senior Superintendent Eddie von Bargen said: “This area receives similar attention as any other area in our division, in fact a little more, as patrols based at both Chatsworth and Clairwood attend to complaints and pass through there on patrols. Should there be specific areas of complaint we would gladly assist in resolving them.”
Complaints and public issues can be reported on the all hours complaints number on 031-361-0000 or contact the local station located in Chatsworth on 031-402-0680.
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