Police, public urged to unite against crime

Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube has raised concern over an increase in armed robbery cases in the city as she challenged law enforcement agents and members of the public to work together to end the crimes.

Bulawayo has of late been under siege from armed robbers who are targeting businesses and individuals getting away with money and property.

Last Friday six men were captured on CCTV along 10th Avenue between Fort Street and Joshua Nkomo Street assaulting two men with stones leading to the death of one while another was seriously injured.
Police managed to arrest four suspects while others are still at large.

On Saturday, a 32-year-old Cowdray Park woman, Thandolwenkosi Dube was shot twice in the head and died instantly during a robbery at Liquor Supplies at Ascot Shopping Centre in Bulawayo.

The robbers are yet to be arrested as police are still conducting investigations.
Minister Ncube told a gathering attending a national fire awareness week launch for the province at Robert Sinyoka Village that action was needed to put to an end the armed robberies.

“Kulezi nsuku akumanga kuhle. I urge members of the public to join hands with police like what used to happen in the past where police and members of the public had a strong working relationship. People are being killed ruthlessly. We need to work together,” she said.

Minister Ncube warned some members of the public who are harbouring criminals that are terrorising the city that the criminals will turn against them when they feel the heat.

She said all criminal activities must be reported to police.

Turning to the fire week launch, Minister Ncube urged all stakeholders to guard against veld fires as the country received good rainfalls which resulted in more grass.

She said even though Bulawayo has been put at low risk of veld fires, the province must guard against complacency.

“Even though Bulawayo Metropolitan Province is at low risk, it is still important that we all play our part in veld fire reduction. I call upon all the relevant stakeholders to take their part in the veld fire management strategy especial land owners, occupiers, users and communities at large as they remain key actors in veld fire prevention,” she said.

Minister Ncube said farmers and property owners must also protect their properties by erecting standard nine-metre fire guards on either side of a boundary fence saying it is a punishable offence to be found without them.

She also urged Bulawayo City Council and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and all road authorities to clear roads servitudes of all road biomass to prevent fires from starting on the road’s servitude.

“The ZETDC and telecommunication companies should clear necessary areas and pathways to ensure the safety of their infrastructure such as powerlines, transformers and boosters. The education sector should correctly and adequately disseminate veld fire prevention information to as many learners as possible so that we achieve a zero tolerance to veld fires in 2021,” she said.

Minister Ncube said communities must establish trained firefighting teams and mobilise firefighting equipment that will contain any fire outbreaks.

The Minister also warned against careless throwing of lit cigarette stubs by smokers, improper ash disposals and deliberate lighting of fires and burning to clear land for agriculture and other purposes.