Police minister, Bheki Cele, has delivered two police vans to the Bityi Police Station as part of the South African Police Service (SAPS) efforts to ensure that adequate resources are made available for the troubled area.
Cele was in Mqhekezweni as part of Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane’s Imbizo held at Mqhekezweni Great Place on August 26.
The Mqhekezweni area is serviced by the Bityi Police Station, where serious crimes such as murder, rape of elderly women, and stock theft are rife.
The handing over of the police vehicles followed a request made by communities and traditional leaders serviced by the Bityi Police Station, for five additional bakkies to be made available for the police station.
Cele said that the SAPS have delivered four of the five requested vehicles, and one will be delivered within two months.
He was accompanied by senior management within the SAPS, including National Police Commissioner General Fanie Masemola, Deputy National Commissioner responsible for policing, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili, as well as Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene.
Cele reiterated that plans were under way to fulfil another community’s request for the police station to be upgraded to a full Colonel police station, from the current Lieutenant-Colonel category.
“The national police commissioner and his deputy are busy with upgrading of the police station to a full Colonel, as requested by the communities serviced by the Bityi Police Station. Just recently, a team from the SAPS national office visited the police station as part of the feasibility study for the requested upgrade,” said Cele.
He further said that the upgrading of the police station to a Colonel facility will mean more boots on the ground, as well as other resources to ensure effective policing for the area.
Eastern Cape premier, Oscar Mabuyane, said that government will also install high mast lights as part of fighting crime in the Bityi policing precinct.
Cele concluded that the SAPS will invest R6.5 million on Community Policing Forums in the Eastern Cape, to ensure that they are adequately-resourced to work with police in fighting crime.
