Khayelitsha’s Site C has become the first area to benefit in the roll out of mobile police units in the province.
On Friday, national police ministry led by its head Nkosinathi Ntleko, his deputy Maggi Sotyu and acting national commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane as well as other law enforcement agency heads attended the handing over ceremony.
Sotyu told the attendant crowd that the unit was the first of six mobile units to be dispatched in the province with only one of each of the eight other provinces.
She said that the unit was the result of ongoing calls by the community for a police station to service the Site C area where violent crime is rife.
“We have been coming here holding imbizos with the aim to find a solution for the crime problem in the area.
While the community needs a police station of their own, it would take a few years for that to materialise but as a matter of urgency we decided to deploy this unit which will service this community,” she added.
She said gangsterism and drugs are the leading contributors of crime in the province and appealed to the residents to work closely with the police to change the situation.
Police Minister Nathi Ntleko said the community faced many challenges which can be overcome.
“We need street lighting, adequate water and all other necessary things to ensure a civil society. We, therefore, urge community leadership to stand up together with the people.”
He urged people to take care of the mobile police station, and to work with police to help fight crime in the area.
While many were singing praises for the new facility, Khayelitsha Development Forum chair Ndithini Tyhido reminded them that such a unit was also needed in Makhaza.
A new police station in Makhaza is expected to open in 2018 and Tyhido said that a mobile unit was needed in the interim.
“For over many years people from around this area have had to go all the way to Site B police station to report incidents but now they will have the police on their door step.
“Victims know how it feels to have police around immediately after something has happened,” added.
