Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Community Safety has been busy in the past quarter, focusing its attention on victims of domestic abuse, the 2010 Soccer World Cup, traffic violations and the province's police stations.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, Community Safety MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu highlighted what his department has done to increase its support for victims of domestic violence.
Mosunkutu said the department had provided pre-court appearance services for 132 women who had been abused, 64 had received assistance after their court appearances while another 35 women were assisted in getting protection orders against those abusing them.
During the past quarter 140 women who victims of abuse and 60 children were accommodated at the Ikhaya leThemba shelter, the MEC added.
The Traffic Police Directorate, meanwhile, inspected more than 28 750 vehicles during a number of stop- and- check operations. Particular attention was given to vehicles that transported schoolchildren, with 68 operations targeting this mode of transport.
The department had assessed 43 Community Policing Forums (CPFs) in the past quarter and had established an additional four CPFs, Mosunkutu said.
"Those of our communities who reside in hostels were also mobilised, through a minimum of inter-active five meetings, to also participate in identifying, isolating and helping with the arrest of criminals," he added.
The department's Safety Promotion Directorate was also busy, developing 171 School Safety plans, launching a child safety DVD, re-establishing seven youth desks and conducting more than 14 substance abuse workshops aimed at the youth.
Mosunkutu said his department had also received and intervened in complaints against police and had inspected six police stations.
The department had also done its bit to keep fans safe during the World Cup by deploying more than 1 200 patrollers to Public Viewing Areas and the training camps of teams participating in the tournament.
On the traffic front, Mosunkutu said his department had worked closely with SAPS and Metro Police to ensure that there was no repeat of the traffic congestion that marred the opening of the world cup.
"The FIFA family and scores of other dignitaries, including Heads of States, were provided with world class escorts on our roads and first-class security in their temporary residential and meeting places," he added.
