Cops ‘reclaim’ city for Madiba

AS PART of Mandela Day celebrations the police marched through the streets of Kimberley for 67 minutes yesterday - to “reclaim” the city following violent protest action last week that saw looting and the destruction of private and public property.

The Northern Cape police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Risimati Shivuri, the deputy provincial commissioner for crime detection, Major-General Koliswa Otola, and his provincial managers joined police members in foot patrols through the central business district (CBD).

Police spokesperson, Brigadier Mohale Ramatseba, stated that the exercise was initiated by the provincial commissioner to improve high police visibility and reinstate safety in the CBD, where 200 SAPS members joined in the march.

Hot-spot

“Various hot-spot areas within the CBD were visited and stopand-search actions were conducted,” said Ramatseba.

The MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Norman Shushu, meanwhile handed over food parcels and blankets to two centenarians - Lena Booysen, 100, and Ma Jood, 103, who share birthdays in the same month that Mandela was born - in Jan Kempdorp yesterday.

He also handed over food gardens and visited the chicken farm in Warrenton.

The Northern Cape Department of Education handed over 100 pairs of school shoes to deserving pupils and also identified 100 schools that will receive library books to promote reading.

The MEC for Education, Martha Bartlett, visited Omang Primary School in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District yesterday.

The Social Services Department and volunteers offered food and soup to elderly women, children and residents living in shacks in Lerato Park.