MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Sergeant Pottie Potongwana, the Domestic Violence coordinator for the KwaNonqaba Police, serves more than 100 protection orders in the area every month.
The KwaNonqaba Police are, therefore, urging those who apply for these orders to ensure the correct information is filled out on the applications, to ensure these orders are served.
Potongwana serves the orders to areas such as Asla Park, Dana Bay, KwaNonqaba, Buisplaas, Herbertsdale and Vleesbaai. He was appointed the domestic violence coordinator in August last year.
KwaNonqaba Police Station spokesperson Warrant Officer Kappie Kapp says it is important for applicants to fill in proper address and contact details.
He said it was best to add an alternative address, such as the church or workplace of the applicant, especially if the applicant lives in an informal settlement. He added that a person could also give an alternative contact number such as a family member, a trusted community or church leader or a work number.
If the applicant cannot be found or contacted, the application goes back to the court and nothing more will happen, Kapp said.
It is important that the applicant keeps the original protection order; the police will make a copy of it. He urged people to then keep that order in a safe and accessible place.
He said this is because it is often the case that the protection order is torn up or damaged by the person the order is against and it can take police some time to find the copy.
Kapp said police can still arrest a person on an act of domestic violence, even if the protection order cannot be found, but that an arrest on charges of assault can be made if the original order is easily accessible.
He said if a person commits perjury, or makes a false statement while applying for a protection order, the applicant can be investigated and arrested for contravention of the very protection order they applied for.
If the applicant allows the person who the order was taken against back into their home, the applicant needs to go back to the court to amend the order or they could be held in contravention of their own protection order.
He said any amendments or changes to the protection order need to be done at the court. With a final protection order, a warrant of arrest is issued.
Once that warrant of arrest has been executed on that protection order, that warrant of arrest goes into the docket. That means that the applicant needs to go back to court to apply for another warrant of arrest.
"While we do not have a team, the Social Crime Prevention office is ready to help members of the community at our station's victim empowerment rooms," said Kapp.
Potongwana can be contacted regarding the serving or filling out of protection orders (082 522 2058 or 044 606 5624).
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