Residents in parts of Nelson Mandela Bay are under siege from brazen criminals who have no regard for human life.
In just two days last week, five people were gunned down in New Brighton — one of the most crime-ridden areas not only in the Bay, but the Eastern Cape as a whole.
On Thursday, four people were killed in a suspected gang shooting while Ntombizanele Ndevulana was shot dead on Friday in her home.
At least there have been arrests in Thursday’s killing while the police are still searching for the person who killed Ndevulana.
Just in August, the Eastern Cape crime statistics showed a 78% increase in reported rape cases, while murder cases spiked by 59% between April and June 2021.
New Brighton, Motherwell, Kwazakhele, Mthatha and Libode remain the worst five worst areas for murders.
There have been similar murders in Warmer township with eight people shot dead in recent weeks.
While we welcome arrests whenever they are made, this only comes after the fact.
Too much blood has been unnecessarily spilled.
While police visibility is important as boots on the grounds have been proven to be a deterrent, the police cannot always prevent such shootings from taking place.
This is why the rollout of the shot-spotter technology, which has been credited for bringing about a 67% decrease in shootings in Helenvale, is crucial.
The technology, which notifies law enforcement agencies immediately when there has been a gun fired, resulting in speedy arrests, has been piloted in Helenvale, with councillors recently saying the metro should roll it to the rest of the city.
We couldn’t agree more.
But good police work and technology are only part of the solution.
For us to rid ourselves of crime, we need active community police forums, neighbourhood watches and general active citizenry.
We need a co-ordinated approach if we are to reclaim our streets from criminals who do not think twice before taking a life or raping innocent women and children.
It cannot be that such violent crimes continue unabated.
We all have a part to play in ending this scourge.
HeraldLIVE
Co-ordinated approach needed to fight crime
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Image: 123RF/FERNANDO GREGORY MILAN
Residents in parts of Nelson Mandela Bay are under siege from brazen criminals who have no regard for human life.
In just two days last week, five people were gunned down in New Brighton — one of the most crime-ridden areas not only in the Bay, but the Eastern Cape as a whole.
On Thursday, four people were killed in a suspected gang shooting while Ntombizanele Ndevulana was shot dead on Friday in her home.
At least there have been arrests in Thursday’s killing while the police are still searching for the person who killed Ndevulana.
Just in August, the Eastern Cape crime statistics showed a 78% increase in reported rape cases, while murder cases spiked by 59% between April and June 2021.
New Brighton, Motherwell, Kwazakhele, Mthatha and Libode remain the worst five worst areas for murders.
There have been similar murders in Warmer township with eight people shot dead in recent weeks.
While we welcome arrests whenever they are made, this only comes after the fact.
Too much blood has been unnecessarily spilled.
While police visibility is important as boots on the grounds have been proven to be a deterrent, the police cannot always prevent such shootings from taking place.
This is why the rollout of the shot-spotter technology, which has been credited for bringing about a 67% decrease in shootings in Helenvale, is crucial.
The technology, which notifies law enforcement agencies immediately when there has been a gun fired, resulting in speedy arrests, has been piloted in Helenvale, with councillors recently saying the metro should roll it to the rest of the city.
We couldn’t agree more.
But good police work and technology are only part of the solution.
For us to rid ourselves of crime, we need active community police forums, neighbourhood watches and general active citizenry.
We need a co-ordinated approach if we are to reclaim our streets from criminals who do not think twice before taking a life or raping innocent women and children.
It cannot be that such violent crimes continue unabated.
We all have a part to play in ending this scourge.
HeraldLIVE
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