KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube launched the 2023 integrated festive season safety plan in Hammarsdale on Tuesday.
The launch was also attended by Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka and Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, police leadership and community safety structures.
Dube-Ncube said during the festive holidays, alcohol, drug abuse and serious and violent crimes will be targeted.
The increase in consumption of alcohol remains one of the factors behind the increase in crime, violence and fatal traffic violations in the province, she said.
“We want to reclaim and protect the province from criminal elements and to ensure KwaZulu-Natal remains competitive and attractive as a destination for investment.”
According to the premier, using the Operation Sukuma Sakhe/District Development model approach, MECs will champion safety programmes in their districts in the coming weeks focusing on crime hotspots in their districts.
“As a mega destination for tourism, projections for the 2023/24 festive season are that close to 1 million tourists, the majority of whom will be South Africans will visit. This influx is expected to have a major economic boost of R3.6 billion.”
Working with SAPS, the premier said the Department of Community Safety and Liaison will conduct safety focused activities in districts.
“Through high density and maximum visibility, the police will be everywhere, and there will be no quarter left to the criminals.
“Those who want to target malls and major events such as sporting, social, cultural, religious and political activities will find their match as the JCPS (Justice, Crime Prevention and Security) Cluster is waiting for them.”
Dube-Nube announced that the provincial government is handing over 95 vehicles to Community Policing Forums to assist them to be mobile in their fight against crime in their localities.
“We are handing over about 2 000 uniforms to Community Policing Forums, so that they are visible when they do their work,” she added.
She added that working together with the SAPS, the Department of Community Safety and Liaison is working on boosting the Communities in Blue initiative.
She said the SAPS-led programme consists of volunteers linked to Community Policing Forums.
“Communities in Blue are deployed in areas where patrol vehicles are unable to access. We are told that stations like uMlazi police station have implemented this initiative, and it has assisted in bringing down contact crime.”
The premier also announced that as a result of SAPS-led interventions, the latest statistics indicate that KwaMashu and Ntuzuma are no longer in the list of 30 police stations which recorded a high number of rape and sexual assault cases.
“However, in the top 30 police stations are Inanda, uMlazi, Empangeni, Nongoma, Plessislaer, Madadeni and KwaMbonambi and these will also be targeted.”
The Mercury