The DA will propose to the NMBM standing committee on Safety and Security that the Law Enforcement Officers that have been trained and are employed by the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipality, be moved to work in the city.
Their job description would include monitoring the streets around the city of PE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and responding to criminal activities. The security officers would also work closely with SAPS in combating crime.
Currently, the Law Enforcement Officers are employed in municipal buildings around the city and they stand around in groups without much work to do while they get paid salaries every month.
Omega Security Company was previously contracted to by NMBM to ensure community safety in the Central area.
The contract with Omega Security Company was terminated two years ago and the DA, as well as the residents were against this decision.
Law Enforcement Officers were placed to manage the safety within the area, but they were ‘seen’ rather than being responsive to the crime in the area.
There was an increase in the crime rate in the area since the termination of the Omega Security contract.
In PE, there are beautiful tourist attraction sites, which are situated in places, which are crime-ridden. These are places, which should be enjoyed by people living in the Bay, too. The city has however become a no-go area for entertainment purposes due to the high crime levels.
There are a wide-range of benefits for the city, should the municipality put more measures in place to combat crime.
Currently there are six newly trained (by MBDA) patrol officers by day and 6 by night who patrol the city, which is insufficient considering that they need to cover such a large area.
In the Western Cape, where the DA governs, there are security officers in the city 24 hours a day, 7 days a week who hold regular meetings with SAPS. There are 70 security officers by day and 60 by night.
They are visible to the community and can be seen walking on foot, others by bicycles or cars. There is constant radio contact with the control room and the police are a call away.
There are CCTV cameras around the city in Cape Town and the CCID officers also build relationships with residents and the shop owners of the city, which ensures a network of vigilant contacts.
The DA in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro will also continue to fight for more manpower, so that the CCTV cameras in the city can be operational as they are currently not in use and there is no response unit.
There is a need for a joint partnership between MBDA and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipality in fighting crime in the city. There is also a dire need for competent and diligent security personnel to be employed in the area.
The DA in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will continue to advocate for the safety of residents in PE.
Cllr Marshall von Buchenroder
DA Spokesperson for Safety Security
