Picture: The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement, Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Transport, Safety and Liaison, Bentley Vass during operation/Supplied
By BAKANG MOKOTO
25 December 2024- The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement, Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Transport, Safety and Liaison, Bentley Vass, led the safer festive season operations at a roadblock on the N12 Weighbridge in Kimberley on 24 December 2024.
Vass said similar operations including static roadblocks were executed across the other four districts of the province to intensify crime fighting efforts and ensure safer roads and less accidents and fatalities.
“A total of 1954 vehicles were stopped and searched, 3924 persons searched and a total of 114 traffic violations were issued across the operations. We encourage law enforcement officers to fight crime and criminality, to protect law abiding citizens.
“We wish the officials well as they execute various safer festive season operations throughout the Northern Cape,” he said.
Picture: Safer Festive Season campaign underway/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
18 December 2024- The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement, Traditional Affairs, Transport, Safety and Liaison, Bentley Vass, led a multi-disciplinary road block with the Provincial Traffic Department and the South African Police Service (SAPS) on the R27 road linking Calvinia and Niewoudtville on Tuesday.
A total of 158 vehicles were stopped, searched and inspected for roadworthiness and several fines were issued.
Vass said as the province intensifies its law enforcement campaign for a safer festive season and safer roads, to reduce fatalities, they will continue to call on all road users to obey the rules of the road and to buckle up. He said they should avoid speeding or drinking and driving, as part of the key principles to ensure safer roads across the province.
“Similar roadblocks and safety campaigns will be rolled out across the province,” said Vass.
Picture:Some of delegates during capacity-building sessions/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
12 September 2024- The SAPS Division for Visible Policing and Policing is currently conducting a capacity building at SAPS Gymnasium in Kimberley. A two-day session focusing on vulnerable groups and victim empowerment environments at the Kimberley SAPS Gymnasium.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said the workshop will also focus on mental health care, sexual related matters, the prevention and combating of trafficking in persons. Kock further said the work session is scheduled for 11-12 September 2024, and is attended by Northern Cape Provincial SAPS officials, SAPS officials of all five Districts, District Social Crime Co-ordinators and Human Resource Development, Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, the Family Violence, Child Protection, Sexual offences unit members and Station members.
“The day commenced with a devotion and a welcoming address by the Provincial Head for Proactive Policing, Brigadier Irene Kopeledi. The Provincial Commander for Crime Prevention, Colonel Maggie Ndzutha, introduced the panel and workshop attendees.
“Lieutenant Col Johanna Molefi from SAPS Division: Visible Policing and Operations focused on Child Offenders and Children at risk. She also outlined the purpose of the day and Implementation of the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 and Children’s Act 38 of 2005,” he said.
Kock added that Colonel Tsholo Selepe of SAPS Division: Visible Policing and Operations, dealt with sexual offenders and the trafficking in persons and the importance of daily operations of having a Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Desk at police stations. He said Selepe touched on capacity-building envisaging to enhance knowledge on the SAPS National Instruction and Standing Operational Procedures and regulative prescripts aligned to GBVF.
“Colonel Samuel Lekganyane, who is responsible for Victim Empowerment and persons with special needs relayed information bordering on protection of vulnerable groups such as victim witnesses, older persons, disabled, LGBTIQ+ and the programs relating to these groups.
“He also enlightened the attendees of the implementation of the victim friendly services and centres. The session will officially conclude on 12 September 2024,” said Kock.
Picture: Community members attending community engagement/Suppliee
By BAKANG MOKOTO
29 August 2024- The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Transport, Safety and Liaison, MEC Bentley Vass, together with the acting Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Major General Luntu Ngubelanga, hosted a community engagement at the Kagung Community Hall in Mothibistad on 28 August 2024.
The engagement was attended by relevant heads and representatives of entities, including Commissioner, Subashni Moodley, the Regional Commissioner for Correctional Services in the Free State and Northern Cape, SAPS District Commissioners and Provincial Heads, Advocate Mpho Tau from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the chairperson of District Community Policing Forum, Tebogo Kedithibetse.
Vass said the focus of the engagement was to encourage stronger relationships between the community and law enforcement in order to address challenges faced by the police and the community alike. He further said this platform created an opportunity to regain the trust of the community in the police and the modelling of a dialogue between SAPS and relevant government departments.
“We need to promote the fostering of solidarity within the community to instil an overall sense of security. The community structures play a vital role and we encourage communities to join community structures and neighbourhood watch sectors.
“Crime against children remains a priority and swift action must be taken. A zero tolerance approach must be followed towards Gender-Based Violence (GBV) related offences. The community members were afforded the opportunity to voice concerns and share information with the panel of guests, who provided responses accordingly,” added Vass.
Ngubelanga furnished remarks and emphasized the importance of sound partnerships. He encouraged the community to reclaim their streets and not be afraid of criminals.
“We need to highlight the danger of substance and alcohol abuse as they are the generators of crime. So, we urge the community to utilise the services offered by the SAPS Inspectorate component, when lodging complaints relating to services delivered by SAPS.
Meanwhile, Kedithibese said: “The community engagements will continue to be conducted throughout the district to address concerns and strengthen partnerships.”
BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI In an effort to curb road fatalities, the Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison is joining the rest of the country in intensifying road safety education by involving schools with duo Road Safety Competitions in Upington.
The province will be hosting the Provincial Road Safety debate and Participatory Educational Technique (PET) competitions.
The Acting Head of Department, Lesego Wolfe said that the annually competition is stimulating as the youth get an opportunity to get into robust debates and demonstrate their creativity in relations to challenges and solutions around Road Safety.
“This is relevant seeing that the country has committed into curbing road fatalities by half, come 2020, as part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 aimed at stabilizing and reducing global road deaths by 2020,” Wolfe said.
“The Road Safety Debate will see learners from across the province actively debating Road Safety issues while the PET competition allow learners an opportunity to research and identify road traffic safety problems in their community and find solutions to the problems.
“They get an opportunity to demonstrate their research by building models reflecting the challenges and solutions and make presentations on them,” Wolfe further elaborated.
The annual competitions give a platform of expression to grade 10 and 11 learners from across the province. The competitions start with regional competition with winners proceeding to the provincial leg and provincial winners proceeding to National competition to represent the province later in October. The main objectives of the Debates and PET Competition are to: ∙Empower learners with road safety knowledge by undertaking research on road safety topics.
∙Enhance learner’s public speaking, critical and analytical thinking skills as they respond to points of information (Point of Information (POI)).
∙Encourage learners to work as a team and also define their roles as a collective.
∙Improves listening skills of learners especially in the rebuttal phase of the competition.
∙Encourage learners to become responsible road users as future adults.
∙Inculcates accountability, versatility and discipline in learners.
The Road Safety debate and PET will be held on Saturday in Upington on the 19th September 2015. -TDN Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
