Siyavuya Mzantsi
INCREASED security measures have been put in place across the Cape Flats and province for effective, stable and efficient law enforcement services.
The province and city, along with the police, launched Safety Kiosks at Athlone Stadium yesterday. The first phase will see 40 Safety Kiosks deployed in Hanover Park, Manenberg, Grassy Park, Delft, Clarke Estate, Wesbank, Mitchells Plain and Tafelsig.
The city had spent R4.5 million on the initiative, said mayor Patricia de Lille.
She said the Safety Kiosks would ensure the availability of “call-up systems during gang flare-ups, illegal protests and illegal land invasion incidents”. “We will work towards building effective partnerships between schools and the communities in which our auxiliary officers operate in order to actively contribute towards the creation of safe school environments and, by extension, safer communities,” said De Lille.
Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Thembisile Patekile said if the Safety Kiosks were deployed correctly, the police would be informed and “act fast”.
“We see the benefit of this initiative. One of those is accessibility of our services by the community. We have no doubt that it will reduce some of the crimes that are committed when people are walking from where they live to access services,” said Patekile.
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said: “The police cannot be everywhere, especially in our gang-stricken areas.
“The Safety Kiosks can roam around and will be the eyes and ears of the police. The police can use them where there is violence. At the end of the day, we are looking at more efficient policing.”
Plato said the Safety Kiosks would act as places of safety for victims of domestic violence and serve as a departure point for services currently piloted, such as CCTV monitoring.
“The new Safety Partnership sees an expanded and formalised link between the Safety Kiosks and Chrysalis Programme within the Department of Community Safety, affording an estimated 600 youth the opportunity to work towards safety within the community from which they were recruited,” he said.
Hanover Park-Philippi Community Policing Forum secretary Weldon Cameron said the joint initiative would go a long way in terms of improving policing in the area.
“We welcome this initiative, but they must make sure they implement it in the right line. This initiative is a temporary measure. We have been asking for a police station in Hanover Park for a very long time. They must make sure they have enough and sufficient manpower,” said Cameron.
But Manenberg Community Policing Forum chairperson Roegshanda Pascoe said: “We do not welcome this because we have been trying to get meetings with MEC Plato. Nothing will change in this community if they keep on disregarding our people. How do they know the problems we have when they do not consult us?
“I am angry that they didn’t consult the people of this place.”
Pascoe said they were informed by someone who was at the unveiling that a Safety Kiosk would be deployed in that area.