By Nothando Yolanda Tshuma
SAPS Station Commander of the Grahamstown precinct, Colonel Mbulelo Pika told the recent Community Policing Forum (CPF) AGM there had been a significant drop in crime in Makhanda.
This included a drop in “the most problematic crime in Makhanda, aggravated robbery”, Pika said.
This was achieved with the help of local security companies like Hi-Tec and Smhart Security.
However, Pika noted an increasing incidence of online fraud, where people are scammed on social media. He urged the public to be vigilant.
Another issue raised was undocumented foreigners in Makhanda. Over the past few weeks, undocumented foreigners have been arrested in raids in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. A question raised at the meeting was, “If you know of a person who is in the country illegally, who do you report to?”
“Go to Home Affairs,” Pika answered. “If the Department of Home Affairs finds out that the person is illegal, they will take that person to the police station and open a case against them and the person will be deported,” Pika said.
Jock Mcconnachie raised an issue about the car guards. “The car guards have been a perennial problem for us. We have tried various methods to try and eradicate the problem, because among the car guards there is a criminal element. They act as lookouts but they assist with crime and a lot of them absolutely have no documentation,” Kirk said.
Abakhuseli Skills for Life Project was a Makhanda-based initiative developed with local car guards, working towards empowerment, integration and dignity for each member.
However, CPF chairperson Andrew Kirk said, “If you treat the car guard badly, they will damage your car. Unfortunately, that is the reality we are dealing with. They target the youngsters; they target the women and they will victimize the woman.”
“My advice do not feed the pigeons, The pigeons will not come for food,” Kirk said.
Kirk said car guarding was “a very difficult situation to police”.
The CPF approached the municipality to appoint peace officers, like the SAPS wardens in Joburg to monitor the guards. “However, because we are not a metro, we do not have a metropolitan police,” Kirk said.
