The civil rights organisation AfriForum mobilised 132 communities all over the country to participate in a national patrol this past weekend.
Approximately 3 500 AfriForum members and 1 822 other security role players took part in the national patrol. The patrol was executed with 2 733 private vehicles that drove 94 289 km in total. More than 187 incidents were handled successfully. AfriForum once again succeeded in mobilising 91% of all safety structures, which is considered a huge success. The thorough preparation of the safety structures is a contributing factor in the pursuit to reduce crime.
Other groups that participated included private neighbourhood watches, security companies, community policing forums, towing services, police stations, local businesses, emergency medical services and local traffic departments.
The aim of the national patrol is to mobilise communities against crime and to improve visibility and cooperation between various safety role players on national as well as local level.
“With the festive season approaching, preventative actions such as these are of utmost importance where safety is concerned, because it shows that communities are cooperating with the SAPS and other security structures in taking ownership of their own safety. The patrol once again shows how important it is for communities to work at safeguarding themselves,” says Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Northern Region.
“The fact that community members are involved in safety structures creates trust in the community and enhances awareness and vigilance to curb crime in the area. Good cooperation between neighbourhood watches, the SAPS and local security companies enables security structures within AfriForum to have more successful operations such as this one to help the community during emergencies,” says Joseph Renaud, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Central Region.
“Pro-active measures in the form of visibility patrols give communities hope. It is necessary for the various safety role players in the community to regularly engage in projects of this nature,” concludes Johandré van Zyl, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Southern Region.
Get involved with your local AfriForum neighbourhood watch today: SMS your name to 45353 (R1).
