Committee calls for improved policing
The Portfolio Committee on Police believes incidents in Rosettenville could be avoided by improving the trust relationship between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and communities.
The committee says trust between SAPS and communities can only be strengthened through adequate and timeous response, as well as the provision of basic policing services by local police stations.
"Cluster and Station Commanders should ensure that the trust between the community and SAPS is strengthened through proactive steps, such as constant visible policing, the deployment of specialised units, better coordination of crime intelligence units and improved relations with Community Policing Forums, as well as improving response time to crime complaints by members of the public," says committee chairperson Francois Beukman.
Residents of Rosettenville took to the streets last week saying they have had enough of drug dealers and brothels in the area.
Residents claim the police are paid by criminals to look the other way and that they also frequent brothels.
The cluster and station management of Rosettenville SAPS will appear before the committee on Wednesday, 22 February 2017 at 09.00am.
Beukman says the Committee's concern over dwindling levels of trust in the police has been further confirmed by the recent crime survey released by Statistics South Africa last week, which indicates weakening levels of trust by the public in the police service.
Beukman says it is imperative for the national management of police to address this as a matter of urgency.
"We cannot allow citizens' trust in law enforcement agencies to erode any further. It is patently clear that urgent interventions are needed at certain police stations in the Republic," says Beukman.