Inanda’s rapid population increase makes policing a challenge - KZN police
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the growing number of informal settlements in the area made it difficult for police to function.
KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey Makhaza/EWN
DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal police admitted that the rapid increase in the population of Inanda makes policing there a challenge.
On Tuesday, the provincial government and the police management met with the community of Amaoti about their concerns.
Residents complained that some police stations were not functional at all.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the growing number of informal settlements in the area made it difficult for police to function.
"The biggest challenge in the area is that the community is growing, and they grow in an unorganised manner - people just settle wherever they feel like settling, and many of those coming in end up renting properties in this area."
Inanda is notoriously known as KwaZulu-Natal's crime capital, and it has been named the country's rape capital more than once.
Mkhwanazi said the use of drugs was another reason crime that was rampant in the area.
"The police are doing everything we can within our crime intelligence to try and get to the source of the drugs because drugs are the ones that are driving this youth to be as violent as they are."
The police commissioner pointed out that the school drop out rate also contributed to crime.