Byline: Andani Matumba
22 November 2022
Police and security forces from all over Gert Sibande District Municipality gathered at Risko Fakude stadium in eMbalenhle on Tuesday, 15 November 2022 for the launch of the Safer Festive Season campaign.
“During the festive season people will be taking advantage of committing crime at hotspot areas such as malls, taverns/clubs boarders which are going to be packed of vehicles and people who will be crossing over going home, therefore as SAPS Mpumalanga, we will be ready for them,” said the Mpumalanga SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Daphney Semakaleng Manamela.
She promised to deploy an additional 7000 trainees across province who will pass out in December 2022 in order to create more police visibility.
The General warned that the impact of policing will be felt by those who cross line during this festive season.
In 2021 during the launch of a Safer Festive Season Campaign, the Minister of Police, Beki Cele mentioned that “More boots on the ground enhances police visibility,” she quoted.
“As Mpumalanga SAPS, we support this initiative to fight any form of criminality and we shall mobilise maximum resources to ensure that the community is protected,” said the general bringing back the confidence community members should have towards police.
According to the general, road blocks are going to be established along the roads such as N2, N3, N4, N11, N12 and N17 and other various roads within our town to in order to fight against the increase of high jackings in the province.
During the launch, the general was joined by Executive Mayor of Gert Sibande District Municipality, Cllr Walter Mngomezulu to solidify relations in fighting crime within the district.
“Know your Neighborhood Campaign” seeking to ensure that neighbors and residents within the same community know and watch over each other during the festive season was announced as an initiative of GSDM by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Mngomezulu.
“Through this initiative motivates neighbors to know who resides on their left and on their right, they must also know if their neighbors are going away during the festive and for how long so that whenever they suspect unusual activities at the house of the neighbor, they can be able to contact the police,” said Cllr Mngomezulu.
Mngomezulu sated further that this can only be achieved through the districts partnership with the police and the Community Policing Forum, ensuring the residents of eMbalenhle that this will reduce crime against businesses, residential areas and on the road.
“We are going to show zero tolerance to those who consume alcohol and get behind the steering wheel as the provincial safety plan will be effective until 31 January 2o22 with the main focus of maximum police visibility and ensuring that people are being managed correctly,” added the general.
