On 18 September 2020 AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches in Gauteng took part in their respective areas in the civil rights organisation’s national patrol to increase policing visibility. The patrol was undertaken in cooperation with the SAPS, local community policing forums, community members, various security companies and other security institutions.
In all, 656 AfriForum members and 963 other patrollers covered 33 642 km with 776 vehicles. The patrol started at about 16:00 and lasted until 06:00. The neighbourhood watches assisted with 47 incidents, including a suicide attempt, cornering of reckless and drunk drivers and various road blocks during which persons in possession of drugs were arrested.
“Visibility plays a critical role in crime prevention and AfriForum’s Gauteng neighbourhood watches will continuously take on projects and organise regular patrols in cooperation with the SAPS and safety institutions to put a stop to crime,” says Llewellynn Hemmens, AfriForum’s Provincial Safety Coordinator for the Northern Region.
“AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches do not only focus on visibility actions, but they also ensure other actions take place to improve communities’ preparedness and establish relationships with other role players,” says Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety for the Northern Region.
Become involved with AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches today and help make your town safe: SMS “Neighbourhood watch” to 45342 (R1).