GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — Graaff-Reinetters, residing within the town's Horseshoe area, made their voices heard to high ranking police on Friday, March 3.
A delegation consisting of residents from Parsonage -, Murray -, Cross -, Somerset - and Church Street met with Colonel Beulah Siyaya at the Graaff-Reinet Police Station early that morning to discuss crime within the area.
The frustrated residents voiced their concerns about what they called the ever-growing crime rate in their community.
"Those of us who live or work in the area are deeply concerned about the recent and escalating levels of crime in this area," said Rev Gerald Buisman, a member of the delegation, at the start of the meeting.
Other attendees were Ward 2 councillor Linda Botha, Graaff-Reinet Ratepayers' Association chairperson Liz Buisman and prominent community member Patrys Smith.
During the hour-long meeting, the residents mentioned the tens of theft and crime incidents they were aware of within this area in the past six months alone.
Some of the other major points of discussion were the sale of stolen goods, sharing of information on crime and criminals in order to control it, formulating a radical plan to deal with the illegal drug trade in the town, intensifying patrols and increasing police visibility in the town’s crime hot spots.
According to Col Siyaya, the local police force consists of members who are genuinely interested in looking at initiatives and ways of fighting crime and working with the community to reduce crime in the area.
Col Siyaya said that the police have already put plans into action to deal with the scourge of crime in the town, and encouraged residents including the community forums to share information with the police.
“We have already identified the areas that are problematic in our town and have recently intensified our patrols in these areas,” said Col Siyaya.
Col Siyaya said part of their plan is to rid the town of drug dealers, thieves and others through intelligence-driven policing and thanked the residents for bringing the community's concerns to her attention, stating that they were taking their complaints very serious, adding that all the issues would be attended to urgently.
The members of the delegation, upon conclusion of the meeting, said they hope the meeting will bear fruit and that their concerns would be dealt with soon with resulting in a safe, friendly and involved community.
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
