The community of Mankosi Administrative Area in Ngqeleni, under the Nyandeni Local Municipality, has called for either a satellite or mobile police station for their area – to curb crimes targeting tourists who often flock to their beaches and tourist attractions.
Popular tourist attractions, Mdumbi Backpackers, Mthatha Mouth and Mngcibe beaches fall under the administrative area which is under Ward 26 of the Nyandeni Local Municipality. The Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety on Saturday, March 25, held a policing accountability engagement and crime awareness campaign with community members of Mankosi area, to address their policing and crime concerns.
Ward councillor, Nikelani Mjajubana, said that the engagement was necessitated by community concerns that rampant crime may deter tourism, which will also have a ripple effect on many families who are dependent on the tourism industry for their survival.
“The biggest crime problems we have in Mankosi are robberies and car hijackings, where criminals target tourists visiting our beaches. During our engagement with government and police officials, we expressed our desire for either a satellite or mobile police station to be made available for the police to deal with these crimes,” said Mjajubana.
He further said that the community also suggested that it be serviced by the Coffee Bay Police Station, which is much closer to them than Ngqeleni Police Station that currently services them.
According to municipal boundaries, the Coffee Bay Police Station falls under King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality.
Mjajubana added that the engagement further resolved for community policing forums to be established in all villages in the Mankosi Administrative Area, whilst also calling for the strengthening of relations between the police, the communities and all stakeholders involved.
Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety spokesperson Michael Msebi said that the department would compile a comprehensive report of all the issues raised by the community and forward it to the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene, for actioning.
The policing accountability engagement and crime awareness programme was held under the theme “Musa Ukuthula Kusonakala”, loosely translated as “Blow the whistle”.
