Cele: I’ll tackle drugs

: EASTERN CAPE COMMUNITIES ASKS POLICE CHIEF TO REVISIT East London communities worried about nyaope, tik among the youth.

Police Minister Bheki Cele on Thursday vowed to return to East London in the next two weeks to tackle the drug problems that were raised by members of the community in this city.

East London communities appealed to Cele to help them tackle the plight of drug abuse, saying their youth were committing more crimes. They singled out nyaope and tik and called on the minister to assist to fight the scourge.

Cele visited the area to monitor the Safer Festive Season campaign, which he launched in Port Elizabeth at the beginning of the holiday season.

He was accompanied by Eastern Cape Community Safety Liaison member of the executive council (MEC) Weziwe Tikana, national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole, Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Luitenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga and other senior police officers.

The ministerial visit began at East London 10111 Centre and headed to a roadblock on the N2 between East London and Berlin, then went to the Highway taxi rank and Mall in Mdantsane. The second part covered East London Gilwel Mall and finished off at Eastern beach.

Community members used the opportunity to interact with Cele and to raise issues about crime and policing in their areas. Nomvulo Dukise from Mdantsane called for immediate removal of some containers in her neighbourhood alleging that they are used by criminals to target residents.

“We are pleading with you to come and see these containers, people that are going to hospital are no longer using that route,” said Dukise.

Sitole urged the Eastern Cape police to remove those containers within seven days.

On the issue of policing, Cele said the task was not only about improving visibility but to uphold the norms and standards of policing.

“According to the United Nations, South Africa needs one police officer for 220 people. Currently we are sitting on one police officer for 383. We need to fix that, in order to reduce burden on police officers,” said Cele.

Sitole also thanked the police for the service they rendered during the festive period.

“No matter how much we are doing, we still have to improve.

“When they [members of the public] are complaining, they are not saying you [the police] are not working.

He added: “You [the public] can do more by giving us more information about how to improve,” said Sitole.

He said 3 700 officers graduated in December and have been integrated in the police. – ANA

We are pleading with you to come look yourself