POLOKO TAU
THE PERMANENT placing of police Nyalas and response cars at major entrances to Soweto, sector policing and Flying Squad patrols on main roads has improved visible policing in Soweto.
The Gauteng police’s head of visible policing, Major-General Phumzo Gela, said the police had made it difficult for criminals to go into Soweto by closing off identified escape routes in and around Soweto.
“We want to change the perception of Gauteng from a gangsters’ paradise to a good province. At least now it’s becoming safer, with police cars seen all the time, and it has proved that police visibility is a crime deterrent.
Nyalas are permanently placed on Ben Naudé Road in Diepkloof Extension, on Chris Hani Road near the Diepkloof hostel as well as the N12 near Lenasia, where stop-and-search operations are conducted day and night.
“(Ben Naudé Road) is one of the escape routes which criminals from areas like Booysens and Mondeor going into Soweto will take, and at times disappear into hostels.
“We also have a small team made up of units like the Tactical Response Team, public order police and metro police who are not part of sector policing but are dedicated to policing hostels in Soweto. They can raid hostels at any time when the need arises,” Gela said.
“Flying Squad vehicles can also be seen driving up and down Mooki Street in Orlando East and on Chris Hani Road. There is also high police visibility on the N12, which is an escape route for criminals between areas like Eldorado Park, Lenasia and Soweto.
“Impala Road (towards Protea Glen), which is one of the escape routes, is also under constant patrol from the N12.
“Upon reviewing our current standards, we’ll improve and increase police visibility and introduce more permanent base camps across the province and Soweto areas and wherever else it is needed,” Gela said.
He added that policing had generally improved in Soweto, which is divided into two clusters – Moroka, which has seven police stations, and Orlando, with five stations.
“Each cluster is led by a general, who account every week on what has happened in their areas, and healthy competition has developed among clusters. We’re constantly monitoring police visibility and at times I get into a chopper myself to check on it,” Gela said.
Police stations have since been divided into sectors, with the policing fleet increasing from 29 vehicles to 104 from 29. There are two vehicles per sector.
“We previously had 400 vehicles for sector policing, and this has now increased to 950 for the whole province.
“In Soweto, the Moroka cluster deploys 60 vehicles daily, and more than 44 vehicles are deployed in the Orlando cluster.”
Gela said one roadblock was set up per cluster every week, as well as raids on drug dens and illegal liquor outlets.
He said integrated roadblocks, including Joburg metro police and provincial and national traffic police, had been held from October 1 and would continue until the end of January.
l Sapa reports a man wanted for cash-in-transit robbery, armed robbery and possession of stolen property was arrested in Eldorado Park, Soweto, yesterday, according to police.