Swazi Observer

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SIKHONA! REPS REMAINS COMMITTED TO ITS MANDATE

By Crime Watch | 2025-01-04

The year has begun in earnest and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) once again reiterates its commitment to serving and protecting the nation.

As per its mandate to protect life and property, the REPS will continue to work with all stakeholders towards the eradication of crime and road fatalities even in the new year.

The pledge is to serve the public without any reservations and with outmost dedication throughout the year. The police service is cognisant of the fact that without collaborating with the community, it will not be able to achieve its mandate of fighting crime.

This is captured in the operational theme “Sikhona as police service to be a safety and security buffer for the nation in partnership with stakeholders- sikhona singumbutfo wembube kuba lugange lwekucinisekisa tekuphepha kwesive sibambisene netinhlangotsi tonkhe. sukuma, nawe uliphoyisa!” which underscores the police service’s commitment to partnering with stakeholders in safeguarding the nation.

Even in the new year, the police service continues to be at the nation’s disposal and will do everything in its capacity to ensure that peace and tranquility prevails throughout the country in 2025.

National Commissioner of Police Manoma Vusie Masango during the end-of-year event reiterated REPS’ commitment to fighting and eradicating crime in the country especially the scourge of gender based violence and other crimes that were showing an upward trend.

REPS is seeking to partner with all stakeholders towards curtailing prevailing crimes and other social problems that have sown discord, fear and panic among the citizens.

He said crime prevention was a shared responsibility hence collaboration between communities and the Royal Eswatini Police Service was crucial in fostering a safe environment

“Crime continues to be a menace in our society thus eroding the quality of life and threatening sustainable socio-economic development as well as causing communities to live in fear. It is not just a police responsibility but everyone’s responsibility. Criminals live among us. We see them; we know them.

Let us refuse to be silent. Report crimes. Let us work together.”
Another issue that has been rearing its ugly head in the past year and a cause for concern, is the fact that humans seem to have lost the sanctity and respect for the human life, as more lives continue to be lost through violent crimes such as murder.

Such was witnessed over the festive period as several murder cases were reported with the police.

Creating a safe environment is not only limited to the REPS, but also to all residents of the Kingdom both young and old, hence every Liswati must embody the spirit of "Nawe uliphoyisa” if the country is to win the battle against crime.

Crime
As a law-abiding citizen, reporting crime or any suspicious activities happening around your vicinity is the right thing to do. It is the responsibility of every citizen to create and ensure that the country is a safe place for everyone to live in it.

In the new year, communities, parents and traditional leadership structures were urged to assume a leading role in protecting and preserving the ideal learning environment for the benefit of our future generation. Children are the future; hence it is important that society moulds them into reputable individuals that will advance and develop the country.

The National Commissioner in the past year highlighted the issue of gangsterism that was posing as a threat to the future of the youth in Eswatini as more young people go down this destructive path, he urged parents and communities to weed out this scourge and ensure that youngsters were protected.

On another note, the prevalence of road fatalities is another pressing issue within the police service as statistics paint a gloomy picture.

Therefore, the police service will continue creating awareness around the safe usage of the roads to minimise fatalities while maintaining a zero tolerance towards unruly behaviour that endangers other road users.

The golden principle is that all road users need to respect all traffic rules as they are aimed at curbing accidents and give each other equal opportunities when using the road.

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