The community of Newlands West has recently had a spate of home invasions and Newlands Community Police Forum’s (CPF) Public Relations Officer, Raymond Sakloo, said it’s unfortunate that the Newlands East Police Station is understaffed and do not have the manpower to manage the high rate of crime in both Newlands West and Newlands East.
Sakloo said: “The recently-elected CPF members in the two sectors, made up by Coloureds in Newlands East and Indians in Newlands West (Bakerville, Parlock and Westridge areas), are not represented in the CPF forums and this has serious detrimental effects in the co-ordination of crime fighting and therefore calls for the communities to develop alternative forums besides the CPF to fight crime, home invasions and shootings that kill our residents.”
Having served in the CPF for approximately two years and now being the PRO, Sakloo said the communication roles between the CPF, Station Commander, Vispol Commander and Detective Commander were very poor and the SAPS leadership and many high-ranking police officers from the area are always in meetings and training, resulting in the station being short staffed.
“Police members who have gone into retirement have subsequently not been replaced and the detectives’ case volumes are so high that they are unable to cope, resulting in the unfortunate delay when it comes to arresting the criminal element. I have worked in conjunction with these dedicated, hard-working detectives and fully understand their predicaments when it comes to concluding a case under their jurisdiction and arresting the criminal element.
“The other structures in terms of security management of the Metropolitan Police and the eThekwini Municipality’s Safer Cities programme are not involved in the Newland East, West, Parlock, Bakerville or Westridge areas and unfortunately are also not helping to fight crime in our areas but have a big budget and facilities for fighting crime in our areas,” said Sakloo.
He said he has recently requested a meeting with the Provincial Commissioner of Police, the Minister in charge of Safety and Security in KwaZulu-Natal, the national Minister of Public Works and the Head of Community Liaison, Khaladi Mbongawa. He said he will also be facilitating a meeting with the community because the residents are “sick and tired” of the criminals taking over their streets and homes.
“It is time that ratepayers and residents take back their areas from the criminal element. I will be making arrangements for a community meeting in Newlands West after I have received a reply from the relevant authorities about the high crime rate and if I do not get a reply from them, I will seek permission to arrange for a protest march to the Provincial Commissioner’s Office in KwaZulu-Natal.”
Sakloo made a call to ratepayers and residents who are angry about the high rate of home invasions to join forces with his team in Newlands East, Newlands West, Parlock, Westridge and Bakerville. To contact Sakloo, call him on 074-093-0674 or email jozirascaltp@gmail.com.
