Mobile police station relocated without notice to a venue five kilometres outside the township
Anita Khaile
Dunoon residents are angered at the relocation of the mobile community police station from the taxi rank to the Dunoon community healthy centre, five kilometres outside the township, with no notice of the move provided.
On 12 January this year police spokesperson Captain Frederick Van Wyk told Iliso Labantu News they had received a positive response from residents after establishing the mobile police station at the Dunoon Taxi Rank.
Van Wyk stated the mobile police station rendered normal policing duties including administrative functions, provision of affidavits, and opening of cases. Now residents are upset that it has been relocated without notice.
Community activist and EFF politician Thembelani Ndabezimbi said he is very disappointed by the move.
“What disappoints me the most is lack of communication from community leaders and community members. We requested a police station for Dunoon but nothing happened and then last year December, boom! We have a mobile police station. We don’t know how it got here and how long it will operate,” said Ndabezimbi.
He said, like others residents, he was excited that a mobile station had been opened on their doorstep.
“We were happy that we had a police station. We don’t know why it moved to the clinic… no one knows the truth,” he said.
Community activist and South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) branch chairperson Sinethemba Matomela said the mobile station helped residents as they were able to obtain services at any time of day or night.
“The mobile station was easily accessible by the community as it was situated in Dunoon. People did not have to travel far using taxis to get free governmental services like they are doing now, having to get into a taxi and travel to the clinic,” said Matomela.
E-haling services found it safe to transport people in and out of Dunoon.
An Uber driver who asked not to be named for safety reasons said he frequently rendered services in Dunoon and felt safer with the presence of police at the taxi rank. He said now that the police are no longer nearby it was not safe to pick up or drop off passengers in Dunoon at night and declined all e-hailing requests after 8pm.
Milnerton SAPS visible policing commander Colonel Thamsanqa Tito said the mobile station was moved for the safety of members ahead of the anticipated unrest accompanying the EFF national shutdown on Monday 20 March. He said arrangements have been made to move it back to the taxi rank on Monday 27 March.
“There have been more cases opened by the community since the services are accessibly to them. The crime is improving,” said Tito.