Making the beachfront safer

On Saturday, 11 November 2017, SAPS Humewood members were on foot patrol along the Port Elizabeth beachfront interacting with the public and making their presence known to locals and visitors alike. A group of Belgium tourists were delighted to see police in their numbers and expressed their appreciation and awe at our ambassadors.

In another incident, the quick reaction and deployment of SAPS Gelvandale members in the hotspot areas resulted in the speedy arrest of two suspects who allegedly shot at two victims. At about 09:25 this morning, 12 November 2017, the two victims, aged 28 and 21 years old were walking in Venus Street when they saw the 32 year old suspect who started to shoot at them. The two victims managed to run away and as they ran into Jupiter Street, a second suspect (19) also started shooting at them. The victims escaped unscathed.

SAPS Gelvandale members immediately responded to the sound of gunfire and spotted the suspect running. They chased after him and the 19 year old was arrested. The second suspect was also arrested. No firearms recovered. Victims are affiliated to the “Dustlife” gang while the suspects are affiliated to the “Upstand Dogs”. They are detained for attempted murder and will appear in court on Monday, 13 November 2017.

A 25-year-old suspect was arrested soon after a case of murder was reported at SAPS Walmer. It is alleged that at about 03:30 this morning, Livingstone Hospital informed police that Athenkosi Mabandla(31) succumbed to severe injuries after being brought in by unknown people. He was allegedly found badly beaten up and lying in the street in Walmer location. Members from SAPS Walmer crime office immediately activated their informers and the suspect was brought to the police station after the community assaulted him. Suspect was taken to hospital for treatment and is in police custody. He is expected to appear in court soon on a charge of murder.

Cluster Commander for Mount Road, Maj Gen Funeka Siganga is warning perpetrators that ‘our men and women in blue will be out in their numbers in all areas during this festive period. There is no room for criminal activities and we will come down harshly on those who flout the law. We have intensified our visibility and we call upon all our communities to work closely with the police and to report any incident whenever you witness any form of criminality. By doing this, you contribute to reducing crime levels, because the fight against crime cannot be won by the police on their own. At the same time, we also warn the community not to resort to violence and take the law into their own hands when suspects are known. #SaferFestiveSeason #PoliceVisibility