PORT ELIZABETH - NELSON MANDELA BAY FINALLY GETS IT'S LONG AWAITED METRO POLICE FORCE

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will officially launch it's long- awaited Metro Police Force.

Municipality spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki, said the new service forms part of the municipality's objective to fight against crime and enforce traffic and municipal by-laws.

The application for the establishment of the force was announced back in 2010.

The official launch follows a two-week delay following NMB Executive Mayor, Danny Jordaan's, announcement back in March that the first phase of the rollout programme would take off by the end of April.

Acting Municipal Manager, Johan Mettler, said the delay was due to  practical issues, and anticipated lengthy consultations.

The municipality also announced former Correctional Services Commissioner, Linda Mti, would head up the force.

This decision to hire Mti was slammed by the Democratic Alliance, who described him as a convicted criminal following a 2009 drunk driving conviction.

The DA said Mti, was still under an investigation by the Hawks for alleged fraud involving about R2bn worth of tenders, awarded to the Bosasa group.

However, the ANC in the Nelson Mandela Bay, dismissed the DA's criticism for hiring the former 2010 World Cup security boss.

The ANC Regional Task Team member, Bamanye Ntshona, accused the DA's mayoral candidate, Athol Trollip, of attempting to grab headlines with fallacious accusations.

The launch will take place at the Vuyisile Mini Square, in Govan Mbeki Avenue, on Friday.

VIA - algoafm.co.za