The crime-ridden Browns Farm community in Philippi have welcomed the opening of a long-awaited satellite police station in the area.
Notorious for murder and other serious offences, the area was red-flagged as a crime hotspot with police declaring last year that e-hailing drivers, courier and online marketplace sellers should not go there.
The City has at times had to withdraw services and temporarily shut clinics.
Western Cape police top brass, including provincial Commissioner Thembisile Patekile along with his deputy of Vispol, Mpumelelo Manci, visited the area as the station was opened on Friday.
The station is housed at Browns Farm Library, one of many changes to the facility since it was broken into in August last year.
Some residents asked Patekile about what prompted authorities to identify the area.
“We want to intensify police visibility in crime hotspot areas and this is one of the areas which is rife with hijackings, armed robberies, extortion and all forms of criminality.
“With this operation we also want to see a crime reduction. Here in Browns Farm we have also opened a satellite police station with 40 members being deployed to man the station. What we are doing here now is part of high-density operations through Operation Shanela. We are here to sweep all forms of criminality and this is not a once-off operation.
It is intended to be an ongoing operation,” he said.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the satellite station was under the auspices of Nyanga police and was fully operational. “The official ceremonial opening is yet to be announced, and at this event more information about the satellite station will be disclosed.”
According to councillor Melikhaya Gadeni, residents have been waiting for the station for more than two years.
“A satellite police station was opened and operating at Philippi train station between 2019 and 2020 but it was closed due to vandalism that left it without electricity.
“The new station will take cases and transfer some to Nyanga and it also still needs to have a victim room but we understand more services might be added.
“The station is much needed in the area. We are hopeful that it will assist in the fight against crime.
We have already seen the police deployments and it will also offer protection to the hall because it was vandalised,” said Gadeni.
Cape Times