The Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality has launched the festive season safety campaign in style in Durban. The day kicked off with the Metro Police motorcade along Oliver Tambo road near uShaka Marine World and ended at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Police held mock demonstrations and active combat displays celebrating the first Metro Police Day in the country.
The Ethekwini Municipality believes the Metro Police officers’ demonstrations display the city’s readiness for the festive season, promising visitors a hassle free holiday.
The national anthem marked the launch of the first Metro Police Day in Durban and the country, respectively.
The day coincides with the launch of the festive season safety campaign.
Ethekwini Municipal Mayor Zandile Gumede has called on police to discharge their work without doubt to ensure they keep Durban safe.
“We are proud of our own women and men in uniform. And we are confident that they will continue to make us proud. We are also delighted to be here with the Metro office and to establish the Metro Police in this country. We have a constitutional mandate as Metro Police which goes beyond issuing of tickets. This is one of the reasons we have built Metro Police station in the townships.”
Delivering the key note address, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Community Safety and Liaison Mxolisi Kaunda has assured citizens that not only Durban but the rest of the KwaZulu-Natal will be safe and a place to be this festive season.
Kaunda says police will mount roadblocks and do random searches at the malls, in communities and crime hotspots.
He reiterated his instruction to practice their primary mandate which is to protect the citizens.
“You will be performing your primary task of protecting the law-abiding citizens from heavily armed criminals who are always prepared to discharge merciless and maximum brutality in our society. In KZN, we have declared zero tolerance to acts of criminality, but also honour roads networks and in communities. To this end, we have developed a comprehensive festive season safety plan, which will ensure increased police visibility and sustainable in all corners of this province.”
Kaunda warned that police will not tolerate any criminal element throughout the festive season. He says police have a responsibility to ensure that all citizens are safe.
“We must make lawbreakers feel the presence and the might of the law. The people shall govern not the other way round. People must determine their lives because your lives are important. You must value your lives by defending our society. Therefore, police officers are charged with that responsibility to defend people. We are calling for that, police officers.”
Officials believe such safety campaigns are essential in helping to curb crime in communities.
From now on, police will be deployed to all corners of the province to ensure people have a safe festive season.
