The parking area around the Middelburg Post Office is unsafe, and the public that has to use this government facility is an easy target for the criminals. Something needs to be done.
Middelburg has been discussing how unsafe it was to go to the Middelburg Post Office for years. It seems that these complaints were not taken seriously by the Post Office, SAPS or the Traffic Department of Steve Tshwete Municipality. The safety of citizens going to the Post Office is especially essential when you take into account that Social Grants are paid out at this Post Office. Our vulnerable community then becomes the target of criminals. It seems that you now need to have an armed guard with you when you want to collect your mail. A staff member of MCCI was attacked, on Monday, 18 March, and the criminals tried to hijack her vehicle.
MCCI facilitated a meeting to address this problem early last year. The MMC for Safety and Security of Cape Town Municipality, JP Smith identified many concrete solutions, and at that meeting, several organisations agreed that the solutions offered seemed cost-effective and practical. CCTV is costly and requires a specific solution that involves capital layout; a dedicated workforce links to law enforcement. On the other hand, the proposed Peace Officers would be less expensive, create jobs, and increase visible policing, which is the only practical way to reduce crime.
As a government institution, the safety of the public should be paramount, inside and outside the building. The various local, provincial and national departments need to work together to keep our citizens safe. Business is committed, but we cannot do the work of government.