MAKHANDA – The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga is meeting with the Community leaders of Makhanda to intervene in a situation which threatens to strain Community Police Relations in the area.
The meeting follows after one of the leaders of the community Mr B Singata approached the Provincial Commissioner for immediate intervention to avoid the negative reaction and polarized relations between the police and communities.
Lieutenant General Ntshinga with her senior managers are currently sitting in a meeting to listen to the community concerns. Among the many challenges raised by the leaders include, drug related crimes, unrelenting house breakings, the behavior of some police officers in Makhanda and in particular in Joza Police Station.
Attendance to the meeting are Local Councillors, Civic Leaders, CPF leaders, Community Patrollers and the Representatives from the Department of Community Safety. General Ntshinga and her management are expected to respond to the concerns and further provide direction in terms of what steps will be taken to ensure lasting solutions and healthy police-community relations.
The Provincial Commissioner has committed to identify a date which will bring both the Community and the Police together in the form of an Imbizo. It is in this unmediated engagement where the people will be given an opportunity to speak openly about the challenges confronting them.

Source: South African Police Service