Glittering decorations of blue and gold, the parade of platoons, three massive blue and white cakes and three brand new cars as a gift were only some of the celebrations that recently took place when the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Police celebrated their fifth “birthday” recently.
Referred to as “the birthday boys” throughout the five-hour programme at the Donkin Reserve and Tramways Building, the metro police proudly celebrated the day when they first put boots on the ground in 2017, after the decision was made by council in November 2009 to establish a metro police force.
Metro Police Commissioner, Chief Yolande Faro, said that there had been many attempts to establish the force since 2012, but it only took effect in 2017.
She mentioned that they had experienced many highlights over the past five years which include the establishment of the Dignity Project, where they have members going out to shelters to distribute toiletries to the needy, the Lioness Women’s Network that helps abused women obtain protection orders, and the Lion Men’s Network that helps abused men.
Faro added that the children who attended the event, some of them from the Cyril Ramaphosa Informal Settlement and some from Kuyga, and who delivered dance routines, were children that they had been working with.
“We have been rolling out self-defense classes and we go out into these neighbourhoods to give these children basic training on how to defend themselves in a dangerous situation. We are also teaching them basic lifesaving skills so that they know what to do when there is a medical emergency.
“Empowering the community is important,” Faro explained.
“Our Women’s Forum is addressing the social ills in our society and trying to curb gender-based violence on both sides because we need to understand that men can be abused by women too.”
She added that without the community, they wouldn’t have amounted to anything these past five years.
“If people think that we haven’t done anything since we started, they should look at the turnout today.
“I don’t even have to say anything, just the fact that as there are so many people here today that came out to support us, shows what we have done these past five years.
“We really wanted to get to know our community and I made it clear that we should take our neighbourhoods back and that starts by knowing your residents, knowing where the elderly live, knowing who lives alone and if they perhaps need to take their medication at a certain time and then assuring that they do take that medication,” she continued.
“The community must know you. That is how you fight crime. One wants to endeavour that people know the metro police. I want us to know everything about each other. Community policing is the way to go.”
Although there have been many highlights, there have been major challenges too; one incident in particular was described by Col. Xolani Tom, also a member of the metro police.
Tom explained that he once started his shift at 06:00 and the first person whom he pulled over had a very aggressive attitude towards him; he actually felt that his life was in danger and had to call for backup.
“This was not an easy road. It took blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today.
“There are so many challenges that we are facing; some of these obstacles have been put on our path by people supposed to be assisting us.
“Sometimes I look at my kids and wonder if they know that I might not come back alive when I leave for work. That is why this anniversary is such a big thing for us.
“It is a day of victory over adversity and triumph over loss,” he said.
As part of the celebrations, businesses sponsored three brand new Ford EcoSport vehicles to the metro police and members that were present, each received medals for their service.
Faro described the week as bittersweet for her since they had lost seven members since 2017, one as recently as two weeks ago.
“He really wanted to be here today to celebrate with us and was looking forward to it but he passed away before getting the chance. It is bittersweet for me because I am like a mother to all of them. This day is also about the ones that we lost.”
