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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE in Esigodini are now better able to fight crime in the mining area after the community came together and donated a vehicle valued at R430 000.

Residents also helped police establish Ntabende base which is going to cater for communities located far from the Esigodini Police Station.

Resource mobilisation was facilitated by Isibonelo Esihle Education Trust after members of the crime consultative committee recommended that police needed the vehicle as a matter of urgency.

Police have not been able to attend to crime scenes due to lack of transport.

Illegal mining activities, physical abuse, rape and murder cases are prevalent in Esigodini.

Before the donation of the vehicle, police resorted to hitch-hiking to reach affected areas which in turn affected service delivery.

Speaking during the handover of the vehicle, the officer commanding Matabeleland South province Commissioner Ndofandaedza Jaboon said the donation will go a long way in fighting crime.

“In this new dispensation era we have witnessed that we are not fighting this war of crime alone but other non-governmental organisations have come in handy in support of police initiatives. I would like to express my profound gratitude on behalf of the Commissioner General of Police Cde Tandabantu Godwin Matanga for such a donation,” said Comm Jaboon.

“Isibonelo Esihle Education Trust has made a milestone donation to Zimbabwe Republic Police, Esigodini station by donating a state-of-the-art brand-new Isuzu D Max pick-up truck motor vehicle. On the 7th day of April 2021 Ntabende Police Base was officially handed over.

The police base came into existence through the collective effort between the community and ZRP Esigodini.”

Comm Jaboon applauded the community for helping police fight crime in the area.

The crime consultative committee’s chairperson, Mr Sipho Tshili said the community struggled to fight crime because police were not mobile.

“The police base has also helped police reach the furthest communities as people used to commit crimes knowing police would not easily access the place. We are happy we now have a vehicle. We used to struggle to get onto the scene and people would tamper with evidence knowing police will not be able to get to the scene on time,” said Mr Tshili.

He said the furthest area from the police station was about 40km which police could not cover on foot.

Mr Tshili said sometimes police would struggle to get transport from businesspeople and then fail to attend to crime.

“We have had incidents where people have committed suicide or rape but because police are not mobile, such cases would continue without due diligence. In some cases, people are stabbed or killed but offenders would escape before police reached the area,” he added.

Isibonelo Esihle Education Trust chairperson Mr Willard Dungeni said the donation was a result of a request by Umzingwane legislator Brigadier (Retired) Levi Mayihlome who was also worried about the crime rate in Esigodini.

“We sat down and realised that as a trust we could raise the needed R430 000 as we purchased the vehicle in South Africa. We wish that other development organisations can partner with social services departments so that we help the Government achieve its mandate,” said Mr Dungeni. — mamoe