Trollip asks police minister to intervene urgently in Bay crime scourge

NELSON Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip has appealed to Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to intervene urgently in dealing with the scourge of crime in the city, particularly gang-related crimes.

In a letter sent to Mbalula yesterday, Trollip requested a meeting with the minister within the next few months to discuss safety and security matters.

He said the municipality had extended itself by establishing a metro police force, and had sworn in 114 officers, to complement the work of SA Police Service officers.

“I humbly request that the Ministry of Police also consider extending itself here in Nelson Mandela Bay to deal more effectively with priority gang-related and other crimes,” Trollip wrote.

“For example, the Bethelsdorp and Gelvandale SAPS stations currently cover an area that takes a responding police vehicle 20 to 30 minutes to traverse.

“This portion of the metro is also home to 300 000 people.

“If the logistics were not enough of a challenge, gangsterism is rife in these communities, with related killings occurring on a weekly basis.” He said there were a number of crime hotspot areas that required gang-focused operations.

“As you are aware, local government is not equipped, funded or mandated to conduct the sort of heavy-contact raids required to reduce and control gang-related violence.”

In the letter, Trollip mentioned continuous meetings between metro police chief Yolande Faro, provincial police commissioner Major-General Liziwe Ntshinga and cluster commanders in the metro.

He asked when construction of a new police station in the northern areas would start as the metro had approved a land application for the new station a year ago.

The police station is expected to be built in the Bethelsdorp Chatty Extension area.

Mbalula’s spokesman Vuyo Mhaga said they had received Trollip’s letter and that he would discuss the matter with Mbalula’s chief of staff.