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Three arrested for damaging GO GEORGE buses

THREE ARRESTED FOR DAMAGING GO GEORGE BUSES

Issued: 3 Feb 2021

Damage to municipal property is serious; it is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record

 

Three men were arrested by the Pacaltsdorp police last week after stoning a GO GEORGE bus in Delville Park, damaging its back window and resulting in temporary service suspension of the Pacaltsdorp community route. This was one of three incidents of stone throwing at buses on Friday.

Vandalism to GO GEORGE buses and infrastructure has been a major challenge ever since the bus service rolled out and became even worse since the installation of bus shelters with operational information applied on the inside. These, as well as broken glass panels, are being replaced constantly at huge cost to the Municipality.

James Robb, GO GEORGE Manager, says people don’t understand the consequences of this kind of behaviour. “We need everybody to realise that malicious damage to municipal property is a very serious matter; it is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record when convicted. The same goes for people throwing stones at the buses – we have had three such incidents last week and five during January alone. Last year, 18 incidents of stone throwing and damage to buses were reported.

“Moreover – instances of vandalism, including stone-throwing, puts the lives of passengers and bus drivers at risk, and inconveniences passengers waiting at shelters, unnecessarily enduring harsh weather conditions (wind and rain) due to shelter damage. These senseless acts of vandalism are costing a fortune to keep replacing and repairing, and for no good reason. In the case of damaged buses, we need to take those vehicles out of service to repair, sometimes for several days, causing delays and capacity problems with fewer buses on route.”

According to Dr Michele Gratz, Acting Municipal Manager, the three men were apprehended by the Municipality’s Rapid Response Unit within minutes after receiving the call and were handed over to the Police. “The Municipality has a zero-tolerance approach to criminality and will work closely with the SAPS to address these matters. Vandals must be warned that every effort will be made to ensure their arrest and successful prosecution.

“We call upon the George community to take hands and help protect GO GEORGE vehicles and municipal infrastructure.  Please report any acts of vandalism and especially help prevent such acts,” she said.

Members of the public are requested to report people tampering with, painting or damaging GO GEORGE infrastructure or buses, while it is taking place and with as much information as possible, by phoning George Municipality Law Enforcement on 044 801 6350 or 044 801 6300 (after hours), or the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044.

CAPTIONS:

Vandalism stone throwing:

Replacing broken bus windows is a very costly exercise and takes buses out of service while being repaired. This puts pressure on the system and schedule, impacting service to passengers.

 

 

Drie in hegtenis geneem vir beskadiging van  GO GEORGE-BUSSE

Uitgereik: 3 Feb 2021

Skade aan munisipale eiendom is ernstig; dit is ‘n kriminele oortreding en sal lei tot ‘n kriminele rekord.

 

Drie mans is verlede week deur die Pacaltsdorp-polisie in hegtenis geneem nadat hulle ‘n GO GEORGE-bus in Delvillepark met klippe gegooi het, die agterste venster beskadig het en tydelike opskorting van die Pacaltsdorp-gemeenskapsroete tot gevolg gehad het. Hierdie was een van drie voorvalle van klipgooiery na busse Vrydag.

Vandalisering van GO GEORGE-busse en -infrastruktuur is ‘n groot uitdaging sedert die busdiens ontplooi is en is selfs erger sedert die installering van busskuilings met operasionele inligting wat aan die binnekant aangebring word. Dit, asook gebreekte glaspanele, word voortdurend teen groot koste aan die munisipaliteit vervang.

James Robb, GO GEORGE-bestuurder, sê mense verstaan nie die gevolge van hierdie soort gedrag nie. “Ons het almal nodig om te besef dat kwaadwillige skade aan munisipale eiendom ‘n baie ernstige saak is; dit is ‘n kriminele oortreding en sal lei tot ‘n kriminele rekord wanneer iemand skuldig bevind word. Dieselfde geld vir mense wat klippe na die busse gooi – ons het verlede week drie sulke voorvalle gehad en vyf gedurende Januarie alleen. Verlede jaar is 18 voorvalle van klipgooiery en skade aan busse aangemeld.

“Voorts plaas voorvalle van vandalisme, insluitend klipgooiery, die lewens van passasiers en busbestuurders in gevaar, en verontrief dit passasiers wat weens beskadigde skuilings onaangename weersomstandighede soos wind en reën moet verduur terwyl hulle vir ‘n bus wag. Hierdie sinnelose dade van vandalisme kos ‘n fortuin om aan te hou vervang en herstel. In die geval van beskadigde busse moet ons daardie voertuie uit diens haal om te herstel, soms vir etlike dae, wat vertragings en kapasiteitsprobleme met minder busse op die roete veroorsaak.”

Volgens dr. Michele Gratz, waarnemende munisipale bestuurder, is die drie mans binne minute nadat hulle die oproep ontvang het, deur die munisipaliteit se vinnige-reaksie-eenheid aangekeer en aan die polisie oorhandig. “Die munisipaliteit het ‘n zero-verdraagsaamheidsbenadering tot misdaad en sal nou met die SAPD saamwerk om hierdie sake die hoof te bied. Vandale word gewaarsku dat alles moontlik gedoen sal word om hul inhegtenisneming en suksesvolle vervolging te verseker.

“Ons doen ‘n beroep op die George-gemeenskap om hande te vat en te help om GO GEORGE-voertuie en munisipale infrastruktuur te beskerm.  Meld asseblief enige dade van vandalisme aan en help veral om sulke dade te voorkom,” het sy gesê.

Lede van die publiek word versoek om mense aan te meld wat aan infrastruktuur of busse peuter, dit verf of beskadig, terwyl dit plaasvind en met soveel inligting as moontlik, deur George-munisipaliteit se Wetstoepassingsafdeling by 044 801 6350 of 044 801 6300 (na-ure) te skakel, of die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044.

Byskrifte:

Vandalism stone throwing:

Die vervanging van gebreekte busvensters is ‘n baie duur oefening en neem busse uit diens terwyl dit herstel word. Dit plaas druk op die stelsel en skedule, wat ‘n impak op diens aan passasiers het.