AfriForum’s Sector 5 neighbourhood watch in Bloemfontein, played a pivotal role in successfully responding to an accident that took place on the evening of Friday, 26 May, in the city’s Pasteur Drive.
Due to the established networks and systems of AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches, medical assistance was called in to the scene of the accident, where a vehicle was found in a ditch. Still trapped inside, the driver of the vehicle had lost consciousness and was critically injured. Rapid assistance was possible after the AfriForum neighbourhood watch patrol officers arrived on the scene a mere two minutes after the accident had occured.
The AfriForum neighbourhood watch patrol officers assisted medical personnel to free the patient from the vehicle and stabilise him. They assisted further by regulating traffic flow around the accident scene in order to avoid further accidents and keep the road accessible for medical vehicles and the fire brigade in order for the patient to be taken to hospital as soon as possible. It was established that the patient is a police officer.
Ian Cameron, Head of Community Safety at AfriForum, says that AfriForum will continue building Project Nehemiah – the community watchdog’s nationwide community strategy against violent crimes. “Neighbourhood watches form the core of this strategy and the assistance given at this accident by AfriForum neighbourhood watch patrol officers, shows that Project Nehemiah sets a legal framework where communities can again be given hope.