Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
De Doorns residents draw up petition for better policing
THE decrease in the number of officers allocated to police stations in De Doorns has led to residents starting a petition seeking more policing after an increase in criminal activity in the neighbourhood.
Residents of Hex River Valley and Stofland said the area had become more unsafe by the day, and they fear that the violent clashes that occurred in Robertson among farm workers, will occur in the area if police do not increase their surveillance.
Resident Shaun Andrew said that all types of crime were rife in the area, and even though officers may want to do their jobs and respond to crime, their numbers, vehicles and capacity didn’t allow it.
“All types of crime are rife in the Hex River Valley. From violent murders, assault, stabbings, armed robberies of businesses, residential property persons to cash in transit. Somalian shops are also a target for robbers who mostly wear balaclavas.
“Further crimes are damaging to essential infrastructure, cable theft, sale of drugs, illegal immigration, illegal land occupation, operation of shebeens and sale of liquor, hawking, and operation of taxis that leads to taxi violence.
“People flock to the Hex River Valley to work on the table grape farms and the lack of police presence makes things hard for the workers.
“The biggest crime is the rate at which addiction is increasing due to the lack of police (to help) the fight against drugs, solving of cases and making arrests.
“Young South Africans are forced to skarrel in bins, collecting cans and bottles, pieces of copper and metal to maintain their drug habit. The youth are strongly influenced by the number gangs and their way of living.
“Currently the police cannot respond to the crimes due to the (small) number of police in the area, the non-response to crime in the area, the number of unsolved cases and the visibility of on-duty police.
“Although officers may want to do their jobs and respond to crime, their numbers, vehicles, capacity do not allow it. Now, they just leisurely drive past crime scenes while it is occurring,” said Andrew.
Petitioner Donale Links said: “With more policing in the area, it would mean that there would be quicker reaction time which I estimate at 25 to 30 minutes. It would also make the getaway time for criminals smaller.
“We also believe more police would mean more arrests, because they’d have more resources to fight crime more adequately and decisively. Known drug houses should also be consistently targeted by police, because drugs have a direct effect on crime within any given area,” said Links.
De Doorns CPF chairman Mpumelelo
Lobisi said the challenge lay with the small number of officers the station had, as well as with those officers not willing to go the extra mile.
“Currently, the De Doorns police station is a half-colonel station and we’ve witnessed how the officers are just there for the wages. They aren’t willing to work.
“The community is currently on the brink of challenges that are slowly but surely spiralling out of control. The challenge with our policing is a cause for concern. Hence, we’ve talked about this several times and it is part of our agenda to get more police officers so that they can actually work and be present,” said Lobisi.
Provincial police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said that the petition never reached the office of the station commander of the local SAPS office.
“The station commander confirmed that he has an open-door policy for community members to engage and raise their concerns and they are even encouraged to voice their concern via the community policing forum.
“This office would advise the community to set up an appointment with the station management at De Doorns SAPS.
“It is during these interactions that they have the opportunity to address their concerns with the management in an orderly manner, and discuss interventions.”