South Africa late last month welcomed a new Chinese Community and Police Co-operation Center, the 13th such outfit to be opened across the country.
The center based in Port Elizabeth was opened by Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga. It also conincided with the thrid term opening of Chinese Langue Training Center.
The police service, SAPS, in an official statement quoted the commissioner as applauding the efforts of mutual cooperation between the two countries whiles stressing the need to deepen community level cooperation between the police and the Chinese.
With the strengthened and deepened relationship between South Africa and China, the SAPS has benefitted by finding its role in order to further the existing relationship within the police and the Chinese community.
On the other hand, this relationship has also found its expression in the educational programmes involving our police members. I congratulate the Chinese community for the noble initiative established in the Province and Clusters in Port Elizabeth, she is quoted to have said.
An official of the Chinese embassy in Pretoria, Yu Yuan, on his part pledged that citizens will continue to be law abiding in all their affairs and that China will continually play its role in helping build safer communities.
Why the police cooperation centers?
The China Daily in a 2013 article wrote that the concept of the center was mooted as far back as in 2004 in the wake of targeted attacks on Chinese nationals living and working in South Africa.
The center is meant to act as a link between SAPS and the Chinese government whiles bridging Chinese and local communities.
“… in 2003, there were 24 Chinese people murdered in Johannesburg. Nobody dared walk at night in Chinatown because of fear of robbery and blackmail.
“In one row of 14 warehouses, all eight Chinese warehouses were robbed while the rest were untouched. When the gang was arrested, many products from China such as bedclothes and ceramics were found.
“When the South African Chinese Community and Police Cooperation Center was established in Johannesburg in 2004, it helped Chinese people report crimes and supported South African police investigate cases involving Chinese,” the report said.
Apparently, the center assists SAPS with information but also transmits same to officials back home. The language center was to help Chinese nationals who did not speak English to be able to communicate their needs and grievances to the South African authorities.
#sapsEC Port Elizabeth: PC, Lt Gen Ntshinga was among many dignitaries attending the opening of the new Chinese Community and Police Co-operation Centre and the 3rd term opening of the Chinese language training programme in Port Elizabeth recently. MEhttps://t.co/1np59KW09y pic.twitter.com/8eGVDIi2b2
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 29, 2018
