Emergency calls not answered

RESIDENTS in and around Fort Beaufort and Queenstown do not even phone the police anymore as they reckon they are unlikely to receive any response.

Ten police stations within close proximity to each other in Ciskei – Alice, Doringkloof, Fort Beaufort, Healdtown, Keiskammahoek, Kleinbulhoek, Mlungisi, Msobomvu, Seymour and Thornhill, near Queenstown – could not be reached by phone.

This area was the worst in a survey by The Herald.

And according to the police's annual crime statistics released last month, there were significant increases in crime across these 10 stations.

A total of 20 more murders were reported, while assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery increased by 106 and 95 cases respectively.

Drug-related crimes went up by 142 and 52 more cases of stock theft were reported.

Red Guard Security's Willie Reineke, of Queenstown, said while they tried to work with the police they were often the first respondents to scenes as far out from Queenstown as Whittlesea and Ngcobo.

An employee at De Lange Butchery in Fort Beaufort, who did not want to be named, said: "We can't get hold of the ambulance or police when there is a crisis. It's a serious problem."

Even in Nelson Mandela Bay more and more people rely on private security companies rather than the police.

Atlas Security operations manager Monty Montgomery said: "Over the past five months, up to 50% of our emergency calls have come from people who are not even Atlas clients.

"They may get our number from friends, or look up our number in a dire situation rather than the nearest police station." - Riaan Marais, Chanice Koopman and Nomazima Nkosi