GEORGE NEWS - The minister of community safety, Alan Winde, visited police stations in the George area and met with representatives from various neighbourhood watches, community policing forums (CPFs) and other role players on Monday 12 November.

The aim of the meetings was to strengthen the working relationship between the Department of Community Safety and police in the province.

This was Winde's first visit to a police station since taking on his new portfolio at the beginning of this month.

Winde addressed the media at the George police station. "We believe in partnership and our department has committed to strengthening the working relationships with all stakeholders. We are going to be supporting neighbourhood watches. We need an overall vision to make this the safest province in the country," he said. 

According to Winde, there is talk of an overall safety plan for the area that has recently been hit by raging wildfires.

"People had to be evacuated. Now more than ever there is need for such a plan. Although various organisations obviously have individual plans, there is definitely need for an overall plan," he said.

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