NELSON Mandela Bay mayor Danny Jordaan has assured residents the municipality will definitely have Metro cops next month.
Residents have long been calling for a Metro police force, especially the people living in the gang-infested northern areas of Port Elizabeth.
The council adopted a decision to create a metro police department in 2009 but the process was delayed by infighting, budget issues and poor management.
Former Tshwane Metro police boss Pinkie Mathabathe was appointed as chief of the Nelson Mandela department two years ago despite there being no Metro police department.
Jordaan this week told Daily Sun: “The Metro police will be put into service in April.”
The council approved the establishment of the force in November 2009 and the provincial government approved the decision in 2011.
“Communities have been complaining about not seeing these cops after they were approved years go.
“We are not going to have workshops now to find out what the purpose of the Metro police force is.
“We all know what they must do. They must arrest gangsters, drug dealers and other criminals.”
Jordaan said he wanted to make Nelson Mandela Bay one of the safest places in the country.
“There is no place for crime here.
“In the northern areas people are speaking about murder as if it’s just another happening. This cannot be part of our normal conversation,” he said.
“We have discussed this issue of Metro police long enough and will not spend another year discussing it.
“We will implement it now. Now is the time for action,” said Jordaan.
