NEWS
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Mitchell’s Plain drug conviction rate tops LAILA MAJIET
MITCHELL’S Plain police have the highest conviction rate in the province for drug-related arrests. The station has secured 11 889 convictions in the last five years. Speaking at a press briefing, station commander General Jeremy Vearey says: “This total is not necessarily so high because more drugs are available in the area, but is rather the results of a strategic approach and partnership between the community and police.” The number of drug-related convictions has doubled from 1 647 in 2007 to 3 150 at the end of the last financial year. A concerted effort by the community to inform police about illegal drug activity is paying off, explains Vearey. “Some of these convictions include 10- to 20year sentences for drug dealing.” A strong emphasis has been placed on a geographically targeted approach to deal with the drug problem in Mitchell’s Plain. “We need to geographically conquer space as gangs and drug dealers operate in a certain geographic area. We conquer it street by street. Gangs are beginning to understand our approach and have since shot two street committee members.” He says residents need to be taught how to deal with this problem. “Self-reliance is important as when national or provincial strategies are removed the capabilities of society to combat drug abuse is removed as well. “We have humanised the fight against crime by subjectively fighting the scourge of drugs.” In recent months street committees in Mitchell’s Plain have been starting bonfires near drug houses to scare off and prevent ad-
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dicts from buying drugs. “People at the bonfires identify the family of those who come to buy drugs as a deterrent. You cannot attack the supplier and not the demand, so we target the clientele guided by pin-pointed information,” Vearey says. Cameras are not the solution, he asserts, as gangsters and drug users are not deterred by the thought of being caught on camera and facing subsequent imprisonment. Michael Jacobs, the Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum cluster chairperson, praised the efforts of the community and police in combating the problem. “Detectives in Mitchell’s Plain are a lot more effective in getting convictions because of the way they work. These successes are not without the help of the community. Residents are doing their bit in providing police with information about drug activity. The streetlevel approach is working.” Speaking on rape convictions, Vearey says: “It is a myth to say people get exposed to crime through gangs alone. You are more likely to be influenced by violent crimes in the home. “If you’ve seen rape in your home, seen your mother stab your father, by the time you see gangs, violence has already been germinated in you.” Rape convictions have dipped from 11 in the 2008/2009 financial year to three in 2010/2011 and 11 convictions for the last financial year. “Rape cases take longer to go through the court system. Forensic social services need to determine the readiness of a victim to speak with police about the incident. The psychological effects on the victim also delay a possible conviction,” he explains. He says it is important for NPOs dealing with rape to offer their services from the minute a complaint is laid.
People’s Post Mitchell's Plain Page 3
Commuters to cough up NATHAN ADONIS
RAIL commuters are being hit in the pocket as monthly train fares have increased. Mitchell’s Plain commuters are among those to feel it the most. They have to fork out an extra R24 for first-class monthly tickets from Mitchell’s Plain to Cape Town. That means from this month to December they will have paid a total of R144 more to get to the city on first class. OUT OF POCKET: Metrorail commuters are now paying more Third-class commuters for monthly tickets. Photo: Stephen Williams from Mitchell’s Plain, Retreat, Athlone and Muizenberg have to April, but labour federations negotiated budget for R12 more on train fares. for a delay in the increase. The price hike came into effect on SunMokoatsi says the increase will “cut inday. to other costs, such as food and clothing”. Sound engineering student Kenneth Duncan Hanekom, an electrician, comMokoatsi catches the train from Retreat mutes daily from Retreat to Wynberg. to the city each day. Hanekom says: “I am not happy with the This first-class commuter paid R200 for Metrorail service and I know other people a monthly ticket, but he now has to fork are not happy either. The train is always out an additional R16. late or full because of short carriages.” Mokoatsi says: “It puts more pressure He believes commuters will be upset on the average working person. Travel- with the increase. ling every day is something you can’t “I don’t know if they will use this extra avoid. People are already struggling fi- money to fix the trains,” says Hanekom. nancially and rely heavily on the trains.” “We will have to wait and see.” The option of using taxis, he says, would He adds that people who earn weekly come at a higher price. wages will feel the increase more. “The average person earning a miniRiana Scott, Metrorail marketing and mum wage, such as cashiers and petrol at- communications manager, says: “Monthtendants, will be some of those hardest hit ly tickets valid from July onwards will reby the end of the discount,” says Mokoatsi. vert to the original increase, irrespective He was referring to a 15% Metrorail dis- of the date purchased.” count for monthly ticket holders from Visit the Metrorail website at http:// April to June. www.capemetrorail.co.za for more inforThe price hike would have set in on 1 mation.
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