New 24 hour crime centre to fight kidnapping crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay

By Anita Dangazele

• The centre will run 24 hours a day using real time information to track kidnappers, speed up arrests and rebuild trust in the metro hit hard by violent crime.

• The Hawks, SAPS, Metro Police and National Prosecuting Authority will work under one roof to share information quickly and run targeted operations in kidnapping hotspots across the metro.

A new 24 hour crime command centre is coming to Nelson Mandela Bay after a wave of kidnappings left residents and business owners living in fear.

The region has faced a string of kidnappings in recent months. This pushed lawmakers to order a permanent crime hub that forces police agencies to work together.

The new centre will run 24 hours a day. It will use real time information to track kidnappers, speed up arrests and rebuild trust in a metro hit hard by violent crime.

The move comes after the Democratic Alliance successfully filed a motion for the establishment of the centre in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.

DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety Yusuf Cassim said each kidnapping added to fear and anger in a metro already battling high unemployment and struggling to attract investors.

“Recent months have seen a disturbing spike in abductions across the metro. Residents have been taken from their homes, workplaces and public spaces. These crimes destroy families, terrify communities and undermine confidence,” Cassim said.

The plan forces MEC for Community Safety Xolile Nqatha to ask the Minister of Police to set up the new centre without delay.

The Hawks, the South African Police Service, Metro Police and the National Prosecuting Authority will work under one roof. They will share information quickly and run targeted operations in hotspots.

“This ensures that the safety of residents is treated with the urgency it demands and that law enforcement agencies act as a unified force,” Cassim said.

The centre will use existing staff and tools from each agency. It must also publish clear reports showing arrests, dockets taken to court and convictions.

To build trust, it will offer a confidential reporting line for people who fear coming forward. It will also support witnesses who may be in danger.

Sector bodies will have a direct line into the centre so information gets where it needs to go fast.

Cassim said the rise in criminal activity has also been a contributing factor in the exodus of manufacturing jobs in the city.

“Nelson Mandela Bay is the economic engine of the Eastern Cape. When safety collapses, the consequences ripple through jobs, exports and the provincial economy,” he added.

The centre is expected to act as a pilot for other troubled areas, including Buffalo City Metro.

Pictured above: DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety Yusuf Cassim.

Image source: DA Eastern Cape