Following the brutal murder of a KTC community clinic worker a fortnight ago, the Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkhongi and senior police officials unveiled a mobile satellite police station next to the clinic on Friday June 2.
Through its presence, the police hope to help ease the community’s concerns about crime and improve police visibility in the precinct.
Mr Mkhongi said police should show no mercy towards criminals and that police were now taking the war against crime to the doorsteps of perpetrators.
MrMkhongisaidaccording to crime statistics, Gugulethu was among the areas with the highest murder rates and that through the establishment of the satellite station, police hoped to address the high levels of crime.
At the satellite station, he said, people could have documents certified, report crimes and be assisted by victim support staff who would be called in when needed.
He said it was a sad reality that staff at the clinic were working in fear because criminals targeted them when they left the premises.
Mr Mkhongi also condemned the senseless killing of children and women and urged men to step up to protect these vulnerable members of the community.
He then called on the residents to work hand in hand with the police to make their communities safer, but appealed to them not to take the law into their own hands.
“Criminals, we are coming to you with everything we have and we won’t (stop) until we have defeated you.
“We have opted to put this mobile satellite police station here to make this area a safe place. We must listen to the cries of our people and respond to them. We have been deployed to work for our communities. There is no place in our society for criminals,” he said.
Station commander of Gugulethu police station, Brigadier Luyanda Damoyi, said the area was indeed a dangerous one, and that patients and staff were often robbed when they left the clinic.
As a result, he said, staff morale was low because they did not feel safe.
He said the harsh reality was that police stations were under resourced and that the police station had a large area to cover.
But, he said, with the addition of this mobile police station, their efforts had been boosted.
Brigadier Damoyi said staff feared that criminals might enter the premises and steal some of the clinic’s equipment.
Gugulethu Community Police Forum chairperson Sonwabile Magida, said the mobile police station would increase police visibility in the area but cautioned the residents not to misuse the services that would be provided.
Ward councillor Luvuyo Zondani reiterated the role the mobile station would play in the fight against crime, but appealed to the deputy minister to make it more accessible to those with disabilities.
