25 January 2006
The level of contact crimes in Mpumalanga came down 4% during the festive
season. The festive season plan - a two-pronged strategy that focused on police
action and community participation - was implemented from October to December
2005.
Mpumalanga Safety and Security MEC Dina Pule and Provincial Commissioner
Afrika Khumalo have committed themselves to ensuring that the onslaught on
crime is sustained through out the year.
The year will see Mpumalanga being turned into a policing model for the
country through the implementation of the Afrika Concept and the Provincial
Crime Prevention Framework. A number of social crime prevention initiatives
including among others the security volunteer concept will be implemented in
the high contact crime station.
During the festive season 9540 arrests were made for all crime categories
including a number of wanted suspects. The MEC and the Provincial Commissioner
made the call that all wanted suspect not enjoy Christmas, 15 of the most
wanted suspects in the Siyabuswa area were arrested. Some 1614 maintenance
dodgers were arrested under operation Isondlo.
Twenty-three suspects who have committed crimes and against women and
children, a provincial priority were also arrested in the Nkangala region.
Governmentâs commitment to reduce the proliferation of illegal firearms
received a boost with the confiscation of 648 illegal firearms and 2008 rounds
of ammunition. MEC Pule appeals to those who have firearms and are no longer
using them or need them to surrender them to the police for destruction. Two
hundred and fifty stolen vehicles were recovered.
The MEC noted the commitment and enthusiasm displayed by the police in the
operations she visited and applauds members of the SAPS for their courage and
commitment, and calls on them to keep it up.
Parents are reminded to look after their children and communities to report
any missing children.
The MEC and the Provincial Commissioner like to re-iterate their commitment
to creating a safe and secure Mpumalanga where all will thrive, pushing back
the frontiers of poverty. Commissioner Khumalo places on record that there is
no place for unprofessional conduct within the SAPS, MEC Pule calls on
communities to co-operate better with the police.
The successes of the plan will be replicated in all areas. The community of
Mpumalanga can look forward to better police services, as the SAPS in the
province has adopted a people cantered police service and the civilian
secretariat will be empowering communities to prevent crime in their own
neighbourhoods by localising crime prevention.
Meanwhile safety and security MEC Dina Pule has applauded the police for the
arrest of the six suspects involved in the Grace land Casino robbery. She
believes that the police are dealing decisively with armed robberies in the
province, as suspects have been arrested in all previous incidences. She calls
on Casino owners to improve security around their premises.
All six arrested suspects are Zimbabweans. The SAPS has started a process of
co-operation with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counter
parts, cross border operations are to be mounted in the coming weeks. The SAPS
is also involved in the establishment of a police service in Sudan.
Enquiries:
Putsoa Makua
082 822 3141
Supt Sbongile Nkosi
082 556 5574
Capt Leonard Hlathi
082 462 0804
Issued by: Department of Safety and Security, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government
25 January 2006
