By SIBONISO DLAMINI and NOBUHLE ZULU

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Crime has reached worrying levels within the KwaDukuza precinct.

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This is evident from the latest crime statistics released by the SA Police Service.

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KwaDukuza is listed among the top 30 stations nationwide in several crime categories for the period April to June this year.

These are murder, attempted murder, residential robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances, rape, attempted sexual offences and assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.

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KwaDukuza also recorded 88 drug-related crimes – an increase of 28 cases compared to 60 last year – and 22 cases of possession of illegal firearms.

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During a crime imbizo called by KwaDukuza mayor Lindile Nhaca at the KwaDukuza town hall last Wednesday, it was pointed out that many parts of the central business district have become crime and drug hotspots.

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These areas include unoccupied municipal buildings, the prison garden, power transformer sites and recycling collection stations.

According to executive director of community safety, Cecil Viramuthu, among the crime issues that affect ward 19 are the buying and selling of drugs, prostitution, robberies and the availability of illegal firearms.

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Residents said they no longer felt safe reporting a crime to the police because of corruption.

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“Criminals are working with the police, so there is no intervention and those who report incidents are not safe,” said ward 26 resident Nhlanhla Mazibuko.

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This was confirmed by CPF chairperson, Dr Mfuneni Zungu, who said several corrupt police officers had been fired this year.

The community called for the establishment of CPF structures in all KwaDukuza wards and the need for police to work with the CPFs in patrolling communities because they were not responding to crime fast enough.

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“I will coordinate these interventions from my office, and I will be engaging the relevant government departments and ministers for decisive steps in dealing with these critical issues,” said the mayor.

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“It has become clear that our work, particularly in the CBD, will not be easy and has not been enough. This engagement calls upon all of us to commit to reducing the levels of violence and drug supply in the CBD and surrounding areas.

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“It also calls for urgency in implementing concerted interventions involving various stakeholders in the law enforcement value chain who are not represented in this engagement,” said Nhaca.

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Story link: https://northcoastcourier.co.za/197768/kwadukuza-precinct-records-alarming-crime-spike/