Bay crime crisis in focus

FIVE people have been killed in crime-related incidents in Richards Bay in the past two months.

This was revealed during a meeting on Wednesday with Richards Bay SAPS and councillors and officials from the City of uMhlathuze and uThungulu District Municipalities.

•In August a decomposed body was discovered the boot of a car in Birdswood

•The double murder and torching of the home of Meerensee couple Ernst and Lilo Boller took place on 5 September

• Empangeni resident Kerridge Singleton was killed around 8 September and his body was found in Meerensee

•Arboretum resident, Abraham Jacobus van der Walt was shot in the abdomen when confronted by a gunman at his house before midnight last Saturday.

•Although not fatal, a number of other shootings and stabbings have occurred in the past month.

Sympathy

Chairing the meeting, uThungulu District Municipal Mayor Thulani Mashaba said the session was facilitated to brief stakeholders on the crime situation, receive feedback on arrests and sympathise with those families who have lost love ones at the hands of criminals.

‘It is reassuring to hear that arrests have been made and investigations are proceeding well and as a victim of crime I sympathise with all those affected.

‘In August, criminals entered my house while I was asleep and stole a weapon and other valuable items; it shows crime can affect anyone, and everyone must take it serious and get involved.’

Concerned by the crime, Mashaba said that the country is impacted and not only Richards Bay and this must be tackled up front.

He urged residents to work with police, the business community, Business against Crime (BAC), cluster police, governmental institutions, private security companies and community policing forums to boost crime fighting initiatives.

‘This is a challenge to all sectors of society to rise up and combat crime by reporting suspicious and criminal activities in our communities as perpetrators reside among us.

‘Also the market for stolen goods must be identified.

‘The local municipality must also look at resuscitating the CCTV project which can assist in identifying criminal elements and aid in the apprehension of criminals.

‘We will appeal to the local municipality and lobby for this project to enforce with crime fighting initiatives.

‘As we approach the festive season, where criminal activity is expected to increase, we encourage the public to enforce all security measures and report illegal activities,’ said Mashaba.

PUBLIC MEETING

Reacting to the particularly high rate of crime in Arboretum and Veldenvlei, the Arbovlei Community Policing Forum has called an emergency meeting for all residents of these suburbs.

Arbovlei Chairman, Rob Sedice said the interactive meeting would be addressed by the police, CPF and Business Against Crime, and that the public would be given the opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions.

Crime statistics and Sector Policing will be included in the SAP presentation.

The meeting starts at 6pm at the Veldenvlei Primary School.