BBRA Newsletter - Kleinmond Petition/Petisie and march
Ons as gemeenskap van die Kleinmond/Hangklip-gebied rig hierdie petisie aan:
Die Wes-Kaapse Kommissaris van Polisie,
die Senior Landdros van die Department van Justisie op Caledon
en die Area Kommissaris van Korrektiewe Dienste.
Hiermee spreek ons ons frustrasie uit oor die onaanvaarbare en stygende vlakke van misdaad in alle gemeenskappe in die Hangklip/Kleinmond streek, veral die ten opsigte van huisbraak en diefstal soos weerspieël word in die jongste gepubliseerde SAPS-statistieke. Die onlangse sinlose moord op ’n tagtigjarige inwoner, wat ookal die motief daarvoor mag wees, is skokkend en vul ons met weersin. Al die inwoners van die hierdie streek word toenemend blootgestel aan misdaad en dit bedreig ons almal se veilige, harmoneuse en gelukkige saambestaan.
Ons bepleit beter samewerking tussen die SAPS, die Departement van Justisie en die Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste. Ons as inwoners raak moedeloos om gereeld te hoor dat ’n misdadiger in hegtenis geneem en skuldig bevind is, net om ’n ligte vonnis te kry of na ’n kort tyd op parool vrygelaat te word.
Die toestand van die polisiekantoor op Kleinmond en die werksomstandighede daar is onaanvaarbaar. Die ruimte is uiters beperk en voldoen waarskynlik nie aan die Wet op Beroepsgesondheid en Veiligheid nie en die aanhoudingsfasiliteite skiet ver tekort. Ons versoek dat die polisie se bestuur sal toesien dat die fasiliteite en werksomstandighede verbeter word en dat die nodige hulpbronne en toerusting beskikbaar gestel word.
Talle versoeke is sonder enige sukses oor ’n tydperk van jare gerig dat die mannekragtekort by Kleinmond SAPS dringend aangespreek moet word. Die getal lede wat op die verskillende skofte vir die hantering van klagtes, die ondersoek van sake en veral die dringende aandag aan noodgevalle beskikbaar is, is eenvoudig te min vir die wye gebied wat deur die SAPS Kleinmond gedek word. Dit, terwyl die inwonertal en misdaad oor die afgelope tien jaar drasties gestyg het. Ons is tot die uiterste gefrustreerd met die gebrek aan optrede in hierdie verband van die Wes-Kaapse en Nasionale Polisie-owerhede. Ons dring aan dat die Wes-Kaapse Kommissaris van Polisie binne 14 dae skriftelik ’n aanduiding sal gee van wat hy aan die mannekragtekort gaan doen. Antwoorde soos dat ons oor twee jaar vyf nuwe rekrute gaan kry, bevredig eenvoudig nie. Ons eis dat daar op ’n tydelike grondslag onmiddellik bykomende personeel aan Kleinmond toegedeel word.
We, the community of the Kleinmond/Hangklip area present this petition to:
The Western Cape Police Commissioner
The Senior Magistrate of the Department of Justice, Caledon
The Area Commissioner, Correctional Services.
We hereby express our frustration at the unacceptably high (and rising) crime levels in all the communities in the Hangklip/Kleinmond area, especially crimes pertaining to burglary and theft, as were shown in the recently published SAPS statistics. We find the recent murder of an eighty year old resident of Kleinmond – whatever the motive may have been – shocking and deeply disturbing. All the residents of this area are increasingly exposed to crime and this threatens the safety and harmonious coexistence of all.
We call for better co-operation between the SAPS, the Department of Justice and Correctional Services. We as residents of this area find it extremely discouraging to experience repeatedly that criminals are apprehended and found guilty, only to receive a light sentence and/or be released on parole after a very short time.
The condition of the police office in Kleinmond and the working conditions of the police are, to say the least, unacceptable. Office space is severely cramped and detention facilities are inadequate. It is highly probable that the Kleinmond Police Office does not comply with the provisions of the Occupational Health And Safety Act. We therefore ask that the facilities and working conditions of the police be improved and they be issued with the resources and equipment necessary for the proper execution of their mandate.
Over the last several years there have been many fruitless requests that the manpower shortages at Kleinmond SAPS be addressed. There simply are not enough personnel available during the various shifts to see to the processing of complaints, to conduct investigations and to react to emergency calls, especially when the size of the area in which they work is taken into consideration. It should also be taken into account that the number of residents and the incidence of crime in the area have increased significantly during the past ten years. We are extremely frustrated by the lack of action taken in this regard by the Western Cape and National Police authorities. We demand that the Western Cape Police Commissioner release a written statement within fourteen days as to his intentions regarding the manpower shortage in the Kleinmond Police Station. Promises of, say, five recruits within two years are really not satisfactory. We demand that Kleinmond Police Station immediately be apportioned additional temporary personnel.