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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested the Acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, to urgently intervene in Nelson Mandela Bay’s escalating crime wave.

Criminals are running wild without fear of consequence and are destroying our way of life in NMB. Every day families are torn apart and more jobs get destroyed.

I have therefore written to Professor Cachalia, urging his immediate intervention and requesting a meeting with him in the city to discuss the issue and possibly conduct oversight inspections at key sites.

In my letter I highlight a systemic breakdown in policing that is compromising public safety and service delivery.

I have also outlined several critical areas of concern, including the rampant vandalism and theft of municipal infrastructure and a recent spate of kidnappings that have instilled fear across the city. These are not isolated incidents but rather symptoms of organised crime syndicates operating with impunity.

While acknowledging the recent arrests related to kidnappings, which were made possible with the support of private security, the DA emphasises that a more comprehensive strategy is needed to dismantle these criminal networks.

In my appeal to the acting minister, I made several key recommendations which include:

• Reviewing and implementing recommendations from a recent National Assembly Police Portfolio Committee report on gangsterism.
• Supporting the establishment of a permanent 24-hour joint operations centre in NMB, a motion the DA tabled in the Eastern Cape Legislature.
• Better resourcing the SAPS in NMB with necessary personnel, equipment, and advanced training.
• Improving crime intelligence capacity to pre-emptively collapse crime syndicates.
• Fostering better collaboration with private security to bolster law enforcement efforts.
• Authorising the establishment of specialised units dedicated to tackling organised crime, particularly gangsterism, vandalism, and cable theft.

The safety and security of our city’s residents are non-negotiable. These organised crime syndicates are sophisticated and well-funded. Fighting crime is a national government function, so the intervention by the acting minister is absolutely imperative.

The DA will continue to fight for a safer metro for all residents. The people of Nelson Mandela Bay deserve better.

Issued by Retief Odendaal MPL - DA NMB Mayoral Candidate