Broader forum meeting held at Spring Police Station

The Springs CPsF held their last broader forum meeting at the Springs SAPS boardroom last Thursday evening.

The meeting brings together the CPsFs, police, EMPD and other interested parties to discuss issues currently faced by the community.

The meeting opened with a re-cap of the last meeting held in August and the adoption of the minutes.

Springs CPF chairperson Barend van Heerden started the meeting on a positive note as he indicated he, alongside the police, had received positive feedback from the Gauteng police commissioner, Gen Elias Mawela, that October had seen a decrease in crime in Springs.

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Van Heerden urged the CPsF and the police to continue working together to keep up the good work, especially in the lead-up to the festive season.

The chairperson issued a strong warning that vigilante groups would not be tolerated.

“These groups are usually made up of ex-police, ex-CPF members and security forces.

“Only the CPF and police have the mandate to operate, and they work according to the constitution,” says van Heerden.

He urged attendees to take a picture or video of vigilante groups if they spot them and send it to the sector managers.

Thereafter, various attendees gave reports on their areas.

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Report from Springs SAPS station commander Brig Thembeka Gwebushe

• Trio crimes (house robbery, business robbery and vehicle hijacking) are on the increase.

There is no specific hot spot, but incidents are scattered. Gwebushe also reported a rise in the number of business robberies, especially doctors’ rooms.

• N12 has been relatively quiet, but Gwebushe urged the CPsF to keep sensitising the public about the potential dangers and insist motorists don’t stop on the road.

“If you arrest one group, you create space for another group to take over,” says Gwebushe.

• Taxi robberies on Ermelo Road continue to be a problem.

• Contact crimes (e.g. murder, attempted murder and sexual offences, as well as common assault and robbery) are a problem, especially assault in the informal settlements.

• Gwebushe also asked for the CPsF to support them during Black Friday and the festive season.

Sector One (Springs CBD and Lodeyko)

• There was no report available for this area.

Sector Two (Selcourt, Selection Park, Selpark and Edelweiss)

• House robberies and business robberies (especially at doctors’ and dental practices) are concerning.

• Cable theft continues.

• Theft of motor vehicles remains an issue.

• Hijacking of delivery vans is a problem.

What was concerning to police was that even when delivery vans were not marked, they were still hijacked, which led police to think there are instances where the perpetrators have inside information.

• Mass patrols in the sector are going well; one patrol yielded over 50 vehicles in one night.

Sector Three (Strubenvale, Casseldale, Endicott and Vischkuil)

• Crime has gone down in Casseldale, visibility and mass patrols appear to be helping.

• Dustbin collection day remains a high crime day.

• No patroller group in Endicott and Vischkuil.

• Spike in stock theft in Endicott and Vischkuil.

Sector Four (Springs Police Station, Payneville, Everest informal settlement, Slovo Park, Bakerton, Holfontein smallholdings)

• Patrols are back in Welgedacht.

•There have been no arrests at the Bakerton robots for the past six months.

CPsf and police operation made a big difference.

• House robberies in Payneville, new houses remain a problem.

• People being robbed after leaving the bank continues.

Sector Five (Springsgate, Springs Extension, Dersley, Modder East, Skoonplaas, Rowhill, Petersfield)

• There was no report available for this area.

Sector Six (Pollak Park, Geduld, Wright Park, Reedville and Dal Fouche)

• Business robberies on Fourth Avenue remain a problem for police and owners.

• Pollak Park Extension Three, Five and Six have no capacity, usually have the Wright Park CPsF assisting.

• Crime has decreased in Reedville.

• The increase in the number of parks has also seen an increase in the amount of people taking drugs in the park after dark.

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The detective team of the Springs SAPS also reported an increase in the number of fraud cases reported to the Springs Police Station.

“The fraud we’re seeing mostly happens through internet dating sites, where men claiming to be based overseas target widows and for various reasons keep requesting them to send money.

“As long as you give them the money, it’s not theft and police cannot investigate.

“It’s not a crime, but a civil matter,” says Col Sanjay Dookhi.

The next broader forum meeting will be held on February 13 at 6pm in the Springs SAPS boardroom.

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