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TANKING UP: Patrons enjoy beer at a shebeen. Photo: MARIANNE SCHWANKHART

 For the first time in 15 years, Gauteng has scored tops out of the nine provinces 

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This is the view of Gauteng Provincial Community Police Board chairman Andy Mashaile.

Mashaile says community policing forums (CPFs) should be spearheading the identification and closing of illegal shebeens "and this will for example help with the high rape levels".

He says effective community policing had seen good successes but had also presented a fair share of challenges and in some cases serious problems.

Mashaile says his cosy working relationship with Gauteng police commissioner Mzandile Petros had been the cornerstone of the success the province has seen.

He says it was only when police have the buy-in of the communities they served that the fight against crime could be won.

The police's track record over the past two years speak for itself, he said.

"For the first time in 15 years of the national performance chart, Gauteng has scored tops out of the nine provinces," says Mashaile, adding that Gauteng had previously always been ninth.

"According to the SAPS Act 68 of 1995, Chapter 7 and read with the regulations of 2001, the provincial commissioner must establish CPFs which act as oversight bodies. The police station accounts to the CPF. They must do joint problem identification and solutions and engage sector crime forums, which will report to the CPF."

He says policing precincts are divided into sectors.

"Sectors must profile their areas and know where churches, schools and shebeens are. This way they can make meaningful inputs on liquor licensing and all other safety related issues," said Mashaile.

To this effect, CPF chairmen should be part of station crime combating forums that sit every Monday.

Mashaile says foreigners cannot be part of the executive structures of official bodies but cannot be excluded because they are part of communities.

"The Hillbrow cluster is working well with the Africa Diaspora Forum. As a result we have seen serious crime has reduced in Hillbrow and surroundings," he said.

But other areas such as Alexandra, Diepsloot and Tembisa with high foreign national populations do not have similar structures which are as organised.

l The community patroller programme is meant to be a force multiplier for the CPF.

He said patrollers should always work under the supervision of a police officer.-moengk@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Thu Jun 20 12:58:26 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 3, 2012

maneater

close them close them close them please!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jul 3, 2012

Pointman

Here we go again - looking for an excuse for our atrocious habits. shebeens have been around for over a hundred year? The rape crisis has been around for 2 decades - why blame shebeens. It is the poor social attitudes to women by our leaders that has caused the rate crisis.
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Jul 3, 2012

Memme

This is not true - Shebeens don't contribute to anything. The world is sick and there is definetely nothing we can do about that but only God can save us from this. So please let's stop this blaming game it's tiring.
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Jul 3, 2012

MicaParis

'Illegal shebeens should be closed, yes!' Well I disagree with the notion that all Shebeens should be closed, that will be suicidal! Most of Shebeen owners are unemployed and use them as their main source of income. So as a society are we suggesting that they close the Shebeens and start stealing again! That is pathetic whereas we have solutions that can solve the problem and build up small entrepreneurs who have the potential to make it big in business. As a solution I am saying the Police Commissioner must see to it that those shebeens become legalized and Police should be deployed at those Shebeens to make sure that under age kids does not access the services there. Besides Police Department will never win war against crime as there is lot of corruption in that Department and Correctional Services, everything, including illegal acquittal, stealing / selling dockets and even drugs in Prisons depend on how much you have in your pockets! Police are being bribed to commit ''legal crime'', yes because is protected by police. We are heading to a very mafia inclined country soon we will be like countries like Colombia, Venenzuela, Jamaica, Russia and Mexico were crime is out of control! Oh! and South Africa is just in top ten somewere at number six!!
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Jul 3, 2012

MommaC

The apartheid government tried to close shabeens. They just popped right back up again the day after the raid.

Alcohol abuse is a symptom. You don't cure the disease by treating the symptom, you cure it by treating the cause
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Jul 3, 2012

Kuch

@Andy Mashaile
I cannot blv you just suggested the close down of Shebeens....

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Jul 3, 2012

Maezizsto4Sure

What has shebeens have to do with r'apes?Fok man they cant blame shebeens because of irresponsible h'orny Limpopians.Banyana bao le bona ba sele,ba tshwara majita baiki knowing damn well gore ga go fetswa go nwewa tlameile a lo retolla makgabe a nyakaziwe next thing ba docha.
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Jul 3, 2012

Shredder

Drunkards or in Setswana matagwa kgotsa matlhapelwa are going to insult Mashaile on this one. LOL
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Jul 3, 2012

SOLUTIONS

Blame, Blame, Blame, it is never the man in the mirror, I enjoy my cold ones but I don't go out to rape.
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Jul 3, 2012

MissBhakajuju

after they close the sheebens, they going to blame the churches & close them, then close the schools, then close the offices, close everything.

this is a very s.t.u.p.i.d suggestion
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