Plett court to reopen following community pressure

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

After an unprecedented crime wave hit the peaceful holiday town of Plettenberg Bay over the past few months, residents and local authorities have managed to put pressure on government forcing it to reopen the town's Magistrate's Court.
Following a petition signed by about 5000 locals and visitors and lobbying by the Bitou Municipality the court will reopen its doors on June 26.

Plettenberg Bay community policing forum vice-chairman Otto Olivier said although this was a step in the right direction, it would not address all the town's crime issues as this court would only deal with minor cases including traffic fines and admission of guilt. "Our biggest problem is dealing with serious crime," Olivier said.

Plettenberg Bay councillor Wayne Craig said the Justice Department did agree to open a court to deal with these matters by the end of the year. "We can't accept this time frame. We are trying to put pressure on government to move this process along more swiftly," Craig said.

Over the past two weeks a 22-year-old woman was raped and robbed in a vehicle next to the road near the Shell Ultra City in town and an elderly woman held hostage in her home by a knife-wielding man who robbed her of various items including a firearm. The house robbery suspect was later killed in a shootout with police.

"There are various reasons we need this court. Once a suspect is arrested in Plett, police officers have to take him or her to Knysna to appear in court. This means we lose a police vehicle and officers who could have been used in fighting crime locally. We have about six or seven officers in Knysna on any given day," Olivier said.
He added conviction and sentencing also took a long time as cases were postponed regularly due to suspects not having transport to get to court. "We also struggle to get witnesses to court. It costs them money to travel there, they sit at court the entire day and in many cases without a tangible outcome. Therefore they often decide not to go to court and the cases are subsequently thrown out."

Southern Cape police spokesman Malcolm Pojie recently confirmed high incidences of muggings, beach attacks and house break-ins while the owners are at home over the past three months.

The Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) - constituting five local security companies - chairman Andries Trahms also indicated about four to five cases a day in high season while low season was also becoming worse.
Out of fear for the safety of residents and that crime would hurt Plettenberg Bay's reputation as a holiday mecca, the PBCPA started the petition to have the town's court reopened. It was closed in 2011 after the department refused to send a magistrate, prosecutor and administrative staff to the Plettenberg Bay Periodical Court as it felt travelling to Plettenberg Bay was a security risk to staff.

Yolandé Stander
Garden Route Media