KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize today led the provincial government's Cabinet in a meeting with communities from around Hillcrest who have been ravaged by crime over the past few months with the aim of finding lasting solutions to the problem.
Dr Mkhize explained that policing is the direct competence of national government, but that the provincial government will be interacting with national police minister Nathi Mthethwa.
“I am very glad to see communities come together in an attempt to find solutions to this problem because this is the first step in the right direction,” said Dr Mkhize emphasising that the problem is not only affecting residents in suburbs, but but residents of surrounding rural areas.
“We have already had engagements with the provincial police management, who have already made commitments to increasing manpower and capacity for the police to police these areas. There is going to be move police visibility in order to deter criminals.
“From our own experience, we have also established that drugs are in most cases at the root of most criminal activity,” said Dr Mkhize.
He said government, communities and the police have scored a number of successes by working together in areas such as Chatsworth where residents feed live information to the police about drugs and the movements of dealers in the area.
“Policing is the responsibility of the police and crime prevention is our responsibility as the community.”
Dr Mkhize allocated various MECs with specific tasks to deal with various community issues, with a deadline to report back by June on progress made.
Dr Mkhize said each ward will also get community volunteers, a program the province learnt from the police in Manchester, England. He said the police there have made great impacts in crime levels using the system of community volunteers.
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 375 4742
Regi Khumalo, Media Liaison Desk for the Premier
Cell: 079 751 6108
