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Date
: 15/12/2005
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government
Title: Mhlahlo: Festive season message
Message for the 2005/06 Festive Season, from Mr Thobile
Mhlahlo, MEC for Provincial Safety Liaison, Roads and
Transport
The 2005/06 festive season has arrived and marks the end of our
first year of the second decade of our freedom. It is in this
decade that all South Africans are expected to make decisive and
visible advances with regard to the improvement of the quality of
life of all our people, affecting many critical areas of social
existence, including safety, security and social cohesion. This
period further presents its own challenges for all the people of
the Eastern Cape Province as we are expected to join hands in a
patriotic quest to ensure that there is Peace, Security and Comfort
in our society.
Our law enforcement agencies have already started their role of
rooting out all elements that undermine our existence. We have
already achieved tremendous successes through “Operation
Sting”, which is currently being conducted in the Port
Elizabeth Area. This operation will continue for the whole festive
season. The aim of the operation is to intensify our crime
prevention activities in the Nelson Mandela Bay, particularly in
the Northern Areas, where drug dealing is prevalent, and in the
Central and Walmer Areas. The operation has been further extended
to include New Brighton, Motherwell and KwaZakhele, where a number
of armed robberies have taken place. Since the start of the
operation on 1 December 2005, 454 people have been arrested of
which 154 for serious offences such as murder, rape, burglary,
robbery, theft and housebreaking.
Twenty-eight illegal immigrants were arrested. Eight-hundred and
nine fines were issued of which 793 for traffic offences. A number
of goods were confiscated, including 20 cell phones, 50 kg of
abalone, 178 knives, 920kg of dagga, 118 dagga plants, 213 mandrax
tablets, 20g of ecstasy, 70g of cocaine, 1 rock of crack, 143g of
TIK, 20 vehicles, 11 handguns, 1 rifle, 46 rounds of ammunition and
60 magazines. This is a start of hard-core policing operations,
which will be conducted all over the province in an effort to
create a peaceful and stable environment in defence of law-abiding
citizens.
We will increase the general visibility of all law enforcement
agencies over the festive season through ensuring maximum
deployment of both physical and human resources. However, our first
decade of democracy has taught us that crime is not only the police
problem, but communities should play a role. This necessitates the
building of a social contract between the South African Police
Service (SAPS) and communities in order to realise our objectives.
The New Year has its own challenges that would require the
strengthening of the relationship between our law enforcement
agencies and the communities they serve.
Last year we have seen a visible community involvement in our day
to day work; community policing forums (CPFs), Churches, businesses
and communities at large. Let us continue to create a safe and
secure environment conducive for growth and socio-economic
development in support of the Provincial Growth and Development
Plan, through the collective implementation of social crime
prevention strategies. Everyone’s contribution will count and
I am confident that we do have the potential to achieve our goal of
building a South Africa that truly belongs to all. I would like to
wish all the people of the Eastern Cape and visitors, a safe and
secure festive season and a prosperous new year.
Issued by: Department of Provincial Safety Liaison, Roads and
Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
15 December 2005
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