Durban — The South Durban-based Merewent Community Policing Forum (CPF) is calling for more youth representation and an increase in attendance at meetings.
The CPF held a meeting on Sunday to address the rampant drive-by shootings, sale of drugs and the senseless murders taking place in the Austerville/Wentworth community, south of Durban. The CPF also called on keyboard warriors and critics that complain on social media platforms to join the next CPF meeting in December 2022.
“There are approximately 35000 people in the Merewent area, but we are lucky to get 50 people attending the CPF and community meetings,” said ward councillor Aubrey Snyman.
He said this was the reason the community was facing challenges. Snyman said there were many good people in the community that needed to stand up and take charge of their areas.
“People are quick to criticise on social media platforms but do not attend meetings to address the issues. I am aware of the drug problem that has plagued our area for decades. The community needs to confront these challenges,” Snyman said.
The CPF requested the various organisations, including faith-based organisations, to join hands and bring an end to crime.
The CPF’s PRO, Andre De Bruin, gave a brief overview of what the roles and responsibilities of the CPF were and what to expect. De Bruin said the CPF were there to listen to the community's concerns and be an intermediary between the community and the police. He warned that they were not there to investigate cases.
The CPF chairperson Charlene Houghton said the CPF was the voice of the community and had received several complaints from the residents, which they handed to a senior member of the police at a meeting in Wentworth last week.
Houghton said the police official would return from Pretoria with feedback and a way forward. The CPF called for additional resources and personnel for the Wentworth police station. De Bruin said they expected feedback on Thursday and this would result in a massive paradigm shift. Houghton urged the youth to join the youth desk. She said a recent youth drive was poorly attended by eight people.
“The problem lies with community participation. There is room for change and we can still form street patrols and youth structures,” she said.
Some of the communities concerns were police response times to incidents, poor detective work and investigations; lack of intelligence gathering from the police on drug syndicates; informers are exposed to drug dealers by corrupt police officials; no plan to combat drug dealing; suspects were given bail and were back on the street intimidating witnesses and the lack of trust in the Wentworth SAPS. The community stated that Merebank had drug dealers, but there are no drive-by shootings or murders.
The community called for old-school tactics, like stop and searches and regular and sporadic raids on drug dens, youth gathering on corners and tuck shops and drug dealers' homes, without search warrants.
One of the residents spoke of the trauma she is facing emotionally after a drive-by shooting occurred outside her home in Silvertree Road recently. One of the victims, bleeding from gunshot wounds, entered her property and sought help.
Colonel Sinayo Mtshali was appointed as the new Wentworth police station commander in February 2022. She appealed for a partnership to be formed with the community and various community role players to fight crime. Mtshali explained that Merewent had property crimes and hijackings, but Wentworth had incidents of shootings.
“The two areas have different dynamics when it comes to crime. The police are addressing the root cause of the problem in Wentworth, which we believe is drug related. We need new role models for the youth in the community. We also call for parental guidance. Let us join hands rather than being divided. Be the eyes and ears of the police,” she said.
Mtshali said plans were in place from a national level to boost the number of police officers on the ground and also to expedite the mechanical servicing of vehicles. She said police were working with eThekwini Safer cities and private security companies to curb crime. Mtshali said the community could provide the police with anonymous tip-offs.
“Give us facts. We need intelligence from the community to apprehend criminals and those with firearms. Discussions are underway to re-deploy the anti gang task team in the area. Merebank has street committees and community patrols. We hope this can be emulated in Wentworth,” Mtshali said.
Daily News