Mchunu announces plan to tackle crime in KZN

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the eThekwini Municipality have announced steps to combat crime in the metro. Recent police statistics show that Inanda, Kwamashu and uMlazi police stations are leading in serious crimes.

Mchunu says they want to ensure that KwaZulu-Natal’s only metro is safe for residents and businesses. SAPS and the Metro Police are looking at sharing resources.

“All hands on deck,” that’s the call from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who wants to fight crime in the province’s metro.

According to police, the city is the biggest contributor to crime statistics in the province.

Mchunu says SAPS and the city police will now work together, sharing resources and intelligence to make sure that they are ahead of criminals.

He says they will also partner with private security companies in the province.

“Where policing is required, people need to see policing every day, when they go to sleep, when they get up, when their children go to the shops, they need to feel protected and by bringing these resources together, it augments the other resources we still have, not working in silos. You will find SAPS and metro but also community policing working together.”

Taxi industry

The Minister also warns the taxi industry to resolve its disputes, he says at some point SAPS will need to rethink using resources to police the taxi industry.

“The taxi industry, they expect that SAPS are stopper boys and girls. At some point we will say you are on your own, if you can’t sort out your problems, don’t count on us. We just prevent them from unleashing their violence on the communities or we ask Mmthombeni to close the industry itself so that they sort themselves out. it’s not perpetual that we will take all the state resources just to police the taxi industry which is a money-making business.”

Mayor Cyril Xaba says they are looking at reviewing current legislation to allow law enforcement agencies to work together more effectively.

“We will also be looking at the pieces of legislation that may be standing in our way to strengthen and ensure that this agreement works as anticipated. You can see now with this agreement that no scene will be left unattended simply because SAPS doesn’t have a vehicle or is short-staffed when we have a vehicle.”

Mchunu says they hope this plan will help to rebuild business and investor confidence in the city.