In the spirit of the cooperation agreement to fight crime in Nelson Mandela Bay, the NMBM and South African Police Service officially launched the 2024 Safer Festive Season programme with a zero-tolerance approach to crime and a commitment to collaborate with all law enforcement agencies to keep residents and visitors safe.
The launch was held on Wednesday, 20 November 2024, at the Feather Market Hall, in conjunction with a successful road safety roadblock on the N2 Neptune Bridge. NMBM Executive Mayor, Cllr Babalwa Lobishe led the operation with SAPS NMB District Commander Major General, Vuyisile Ncata and Mayoral Committee Members.
She said the season will benefit immensely from the cooperation agreement.
“The purpose of this cooperation agreement, among others, is the maximisation of integrated relationships with all spheres of government and civil society in creating a safe and secure environment; the development of programmes, plans, interventions and infrastructure that will seek to reduce the levels of crime, and the alignment of strategies as well as coordination of implementation.”
“Certainly, we would like to see a clean and safe city. That is why I applaud the EDTA’s initiative of internal collaborations with Public Health as well as with the 20 November 2024
SAPS, businesses and the tourism industry to ensure that these conditions for a successful season are addressed in preparation for the 2024/25 summer season.
We wish to welcome back home those who work in other towns and the thousands of tourists who will be enjoying our Friendly City and assure them that we are ready to delivery yet another memorable festive season,” the Executive Mayor said. Partnerships with the Department of Home Affairs and Correctional Services have been integrated into the festive season operation.
During the multi-disciplinary roadblock operation a total of 454 vehicles were stopped while 225 were searched. Traffic offence fines were issued including for unlicenced and unregistered vehicles, two arrests were made, one for unlicenced firearm and one for drunken driving.
Maj-Gen Ncata said criminals were now operating in an organised fashion, as a result law enforcement agencies have also jerked up their operations.
“We are not going to tolerate lawlessness in our City. I am happy with our readiness, I am expecting more from our forces whether it is traffic services, the police, Metro Police as we are going to intensify our operations. We want to hit the road running, we want to be in the hot spot areas and roadblocks and address our crime generators especially in our taverns, we must check their compliance as well.
Criminals are brazen, while we have our own plans, they also have their own plans.” “Since the signing of the cooperation agreement, we have really seen a reduction in our crime especially in house robberies, car and truck jackings and street robberies where firearms are used. We took a decision that even though criminals are brazen and want to claim the streets of our beautiful City, we are not going to allow them.
When they fight with us, we will fight back and will not allow them to kill the police or law enforcement officers,” added Ncata.
NMB Communications
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