Due to the high rates of crime being experienced in the area, CCBSA decided to be part of the solution.
Thabong East is a crime hotspot which lists common assault and robbery among the top ten crimes reported at the police station.
Crime affects all of us directly and indirectly. Crime takes away our basic right to have a happy and healthy environment and it means businesses, big and small, cannot grow and become successful.
New investments are scarce in communities where levels of crime are high.
CCBSA General Manager, Billy Tom, at the handover ceremony noted that as a responsible corporate citizen, CCBSA can only be successful if the communities in which it trades are also successful.
“Our mandate is to leave our communities much better than we found them. As a Coca-Cola company, we are not only a company that manufactures and distributes some of the best non-alcoholic beverages in the world, we are a business that is committed to empowering communities, supporting young people through sport and education, and committed to ensuring that our activities do not affect the environment negatively.
CCBSA has similarly partnered with the SAPS in Vaal and are now taking a step further within Thabong East, so we can jointly reduce the threat to our business and this community and are delighted to have been given the opportunity to work together with SAPS,” said Tom.
Thabong SAPS Station Commander, Brigadier Cynthia Molale, noted that most crime is generated at liquor outlets in the area and the new contact point centre will increase the visibility of the police in the community. This container, placed at Lemotso primary school, which is 8km away from the main station, will serve as a reporting hub for Cluster 3 and 4 of Thabong SAPS. This will enhance the speedy attendance to serious crimes and recovery of clues found at crime scenes.
“As a corporate we may not be qualified to fight crime, however, we do support those who are qualified to do the work. We believe these items we have donated to SAPS Thabong will go a long way in ensuring that services are brought closer to the community of Thabong East.
This will also boost the volunteers who are courageously working together.”
In addition, to accompany the container, CCBSA donated the following equipment;
* 30 bicycles
* 30 helmets
* 30 reflector vests
* 50 whistles
* 4 high back office chairs
* 6 office chairs
* 20 transmitter radios
