A group of community members reportedly exposed alleged negligence by the police and claimed that warnings of a death threat fell on deaf ears when the targeted person was murdered earlier this week.
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The 14-member Crime Support Group (CRSG) from Cape Town took their grievances to Reagan Allen, MEC for police oversight and community safety.
According to the Weekend Argus, the group opened a case against the Philippi police station and told Allen’s office that they disagree with the fourth-quarter crime statistics.
CRSG noted a lack of resources, the inefficiency of police officers, a regularly closed police station, and not operating with enough vehicles, among other grievances.
Danny Bolton, a CRSG member, says the group raised their concerns about the murder rate over the past few years. ‘We expressed concern regarding the steady increase in contact crime such as murder, attempted murder, gangsterism, rape, extortion, kidnapping, drug houses, and human trafficking.’
Allen says some of the issues must be dealt with by different departments. ‘When matters around the services of the South African Police Service (SAPS), law enforcement or crime, in general, are brought to my attention, I make it my business to ensure that it receives the necessary attention.’
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‘Where the Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety is able to directly attend to a matter, it is done with the urgency and speed that is required.’
‘In certain instances, some matters would have to be referred to a municipality, the Western Cape Police Ombudsman and or the SAPS’ Provincial Commissioner (PC).’
‘I would like to encourage residents to optimally utilise the various entities, including the Standing Committee on Community Safety in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, that are at their disposal.’
‘Certain matters, such as the allegation that the Fisantekraal SAPS station closes its doors at certain times will be relayed to the PC’s office for further investigation.’
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