In a gesture that shows that government values the partnership of the business sector in the war against crime, North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa on Tuesday made an undertaking that his department and the police will sign a partnership agreement with Business Against Crime North West (BACNW) on deliverables. The ground breaking meeting with BACNW was held in MEC Yawa’s boardroom in Mafikeng.
The agreement which is intended to meet business’ expectation of results for their support in the war against crime will among others outline response time, police visibility around businesses, particularly around banks in and around Rustenburg for the protection of clients against crime at auto teller machines(ATMs).
“There is no doubt that the partnership and on going support of the business sector is a critical success factor in the war against crime. We’ll for our part do everything in our power to meet the expectations of the business sector and intensify our efforts to win the war against crime,” says Yawa.
BACNW through its Chairperson, Thabo Moseki said that the business sector has observed positive signs of the new government leadership and is encouraged by the anti-crime position displayed at the high level of government. The BACNW delegation which included its Deputy Chairperson and Managing Director expressed an optimism that with more focus, progress will be made in the war against crime.
BACNW is currently involved in several initiatives to address theft of non-ferrous metals, violent organised crime referred to as the trio crimes, that is house robberies, business robberies and car or truck hijackings. It is also partnering with Community Policing Forums (CPFs) to address residential robberies, combating crime in the banking industry.
Since its inception in 1996, BACNW has provided leadership development training to 408 senior police managers stationed at 45 police stations across the North West province in order to improve service delivery and performance at station level at the cost of R1 million.
As part of its contribution towards creating a safe and secure environment towards FIFA 2010 World Cup, the organisation has secured funding for automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to be fitted to a police vehicle for a period of eight and half months.
The meeting resolved that a forum composed of BACNW and members of the criminal justice cluster in the province be constituted to deal with mushrooming illegal businesses operated by illegal immigrants.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9164
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
