Residents of Marite in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality converged at a local sports ground to air their views regarding the rampant crime in the area.
This happened during a Public Participation Programme (imbizo) that was held in the area on Saturday.
Among others, they complained about the high incidents of rape, carjackings, housebreaking, murder, robbery at residential premises and murder.
Others expressed their unhappiness at the length of time it takes for the police to respond to crime scenes.
They also alleged that some SAPS members were in cahoots with criminals. This, they say, is one of the reasons crime perpetrators were not punished and many were not willing to help the police in solving crime.
The residents further called on the government to fast-track the process of building a police station in Marite.
They told the Imbizo that this will help with the swift response to crime in the area and residents will no longer have to travel to Calcutta Police Station to report crime cases.
It is alleged that communities are terrified to give police crime tip-offs because they are afraid of being victimized.
There are allegations of the existence of gangs, who at times, target trucks that are passing by on the R40 Road.
These trucks, once stopped, are dispossessed of goods by armed gangs.
Speaking during the Imbizo, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe, pleaded with the communities to work with the police to combat crime.
He reminded them that crime suspects are known in communities and therefore, they should be exposed.
He promised the residents that he was going to return to the area with other members of the security cluster unannounced, so that criminals are sniffed out.
The visibly animated Shongwe, also called for the rotation of police stationed in Marite and Calcutta as one of the measures that could help in combating crime in the area.
He also reiterated his call for the optimal utilization of the SAPS Tactical Response Team (TRT), saying it was a critical unit in fighting gang-related crime.
"The few rotten police officers must be flushed out because they are a disgrace to the uniform and the badge they are wearing. They must be rotated because if they stay too long in Marite, they end up being in cahoots with criminals," said the MEC.
He also mentioned that the government was doing everything possible to end gender-based violence (GBV). He decried men who were like hyenas preying on women and children.
He implored communities to work with the police to eradicate the scourge.
He has called on the municipality to ensure that they improve lighting in the area because the lack of street lights was cited as one of the contributors to crime at night.
Marite is one of the top 30 police stations that contributed mostly to 17 categories of serious crimes reported by communities for the first quarter (April to June 2021).
Today's Imbizo was supported by the departments of Justice, Correctional Services, SAPS, traditional leadership, and the municipality, among others.
Ends.
Issued by Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison
Enquiries: Moeti Mmusi
Cell: 079 291 0664
Or Kingdom Mabuza
Cell: 082 350 7677