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100 000 COPIES WEEKLY WEDNESDAY November 18, 2015 | 0 041 503 6111 | Email express@media24.com | www.peexpress.co.za |
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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
‘Hardware’ for Metro police ODETTE KEMP
O
NLY a day after the Nelson Mandela Bay metro police were left without a chief, the “hardware” was introduced for the new force.
Altogether 21 vehicles were added to the metro police force’s existing arsenal by mayor Danny Jordaan last week - and this is just the first step. Last month Jordaan requested a plan by the metro’s councillors on how to finally establish a metro police force - nearly two years after Pinkie Mathabathe was appointed as metro police chief. Mathabathe last week moved to the position of acting director for safety and security (see article on page 4), but this would not stop the process, Jordaan said. “We have already received the plans to launch the metro police,” he confirmed. “Now we have launched the hardware. The next step is to meet this week so that we can determine the priorities and align them with the budget.” A budget of about R500-million was available
for the police, while 40 trained officers were ready to start their work, he added. “We want to make the Bay one of the safest metros in the country. There is no place for crime. In Helenvale people are speaking about murder as if it’s just another occurrence, and this cannot be part of our normal conversations.” The news of the metro police’s progress has been welcomed with open arms. “This is a great initiative, but we must do our part to ensure its success,” said pastor Godfrey Caesar, a community leader in Helenvale - where gang violence still prevails. “The mayor is the father of the metro, but as the children we must unite to help in the fight against crime.” The community must also act to prevent further crime, said Tim Hendricks of the SAPS Mount Road cluster board. “The gang members are not aliens,” Hendricks said. “They are our children, our family. Crime knows no colour or culture; it affects all of us. It is time that we stop accusing each other and instead take back ownership of the metro.”
Nóg ’n titel vir skaakwonder Jesse
The Nelson Mandela Bay metro police are without a chief, but they can boast another 21 vehicles. Mayor Danny Jordaan tried out a new motorcycle last week. PHOTO: THEO JEPTHA
Jesse February (18), die Baai se skaakwonder, pronk met haar jongste trofee wat sy onlangs as die OosKaap se nuwe skaakkampioen verower het. Jesse is die provinsie se heel eerste vroulike kampioen in 35 jaar en boonop die jongste ooit. Sy is vanjaar onder meer as die vierde beste universiteiteskaakspeler ter wêreld, die SA geslote junior kam pioen en ’n WFM (vrouefidemeester) in skaak aangewys. Volgende op haar lys is die gesogte WIM (vroueinternasionalemeester) en die WGM(vrouegrootmeester)titels wat sy hoop om binnekort in te ryg. Lees meer oor haar op bladsy 15. FOTO: THEO JEPTHA
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