On 16 November the AfriForum neighbourhood watch in Potgietersrus together with the SAPS and other institutions found a three-year-old girl that was kidnapped during a hijacking.
The neighbourhood watch received information on Monday afternoon from the SAPS of a hijacking that has taken place. The vehicle owner’s little girl stayed behind in the vehicle during the hijacking. The SAPS asked the neighbourhood watch for assistance in the search for the little girl.
The neighbourhood watch searched for the hijacked vehicle and the little girl together with AfriForum’s Pietersburg neighbourhood watch, SAPS, SAPS Highway Patrol, Tracker and Heritage Protection Group. Tracker continuously passed on information to the neighbourhood watch on the vehicle’s location. The neighbourhood watch and Tracker closed off various footpaths in the rural area outside Potgietersrus, set up observation points and coordinated search teams.
The vehicle was found hidden in the bushes. The little girl was asleep in the back of the vehicle. She was safely returned to her parents and the SAPS’s investigation continues.
“We are grateful that we found the little girl. We are also grateful for the excellent cooperation within the neighbourhood watch but also with all other roleplayers that participated in the search,” says Hennie de Vos, Chairperson of AfriForum’s Potgietersrus branch.
“AfriForum’s Potgietersrus neighbourhood watch once again demonstrated that they play a stabilising role in the Potgietersrus community. Disciplined neighbourhood watches, that act within the framework of the law, and work closely with the SAPS and other organisations are an essential element of thriving communities,” says Andries Opperman, Safety Coordinator for AfriForum in Limpopo.
To become involved with AfriForum’s Potgietersrus neighbourhood watch, download the Telegram app and search for @AfriForumBuurtBot (https://t.me/AfriForumBuurtBot).