In February AfriForum’s control room for Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga reported and handled more than 618 cases and supported the organisation’s neighbourhood watches in these provinces. The purpose of the control room is to strengthen AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches and ensure that help and the necessary resources can be called in faster.
In February AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches in the three provinces undertook 544 patrols (Gauteng 297, Limpopo 137 and Mpumalanga 137), and 1 089 people (Gauteng 594, Limpopo 220 and Mpumalanga 274) participated.
Some of these cases where the control room provided assistance, include:
Gauteng:
- The control room was informed of a motor vehicle accident outside Nigel close to the cemetery. The police was called in and they visited the scene.
- The control room was informed of a motor vehicle accident on Garsfontein Road. The police and emergency services were called in.
- The control room was informed of a transformer that exploded and was burning in Boksburg. The fire department was contacted and called to the scene.
- The control room was informed of a case of mass violence in Krugersdorp. There was a scuffle between a group of men and women. The control room contacted the police and called them to the scene. The police arrived and the situation was cleared up.
- The control room received information of a hit-and-run incident on the R29 outside Springs. Emergency services were called to the scene as well as the police. A government ambulance picked up the pedestrian and took him to the hospital. The man sustained serious injuries. The police was also on the scene.
- The control room was informed that a senior citizen in Krugersdorp needed medical help. The man presumably had a stroke and was battling to breathe. The person was transported to a hospital.
- The control room was informed of a housebreaking in Krugersdorp. Upon arrival at the premises the patroller that reported the housebreaking, reported that the suspect fired shots and fled on foot. The police was contacted and called to the premises. A backpack with tools that the suspect probably used to break in were found on scene. The police took over the search and further information could not be obtained.
Limpopo:
- The control room was informed of a motor vehicle accident on the R510 road in the direction of Thabazimbi. It was established that a vehicle crashed into a tree. One of the occupants sustained serious injuries. The police and ER24 were called and the injured person was taken to a hospital.
- A neighbourhood watch member contacted the control room and informed them that his family was involved in an accident in Trompsburg, Free State. The neighbourhood watch member requested the control room to assist in finding his family members. The control room contacted the Trompsburg police. The police confirmed that an accident was reported. The control room contacted the emergency services on the scene that confirmed that one person was taken to a nearby hospital.
- A farmer in the Afguns area called for help on the emergency radio. One of his workers collapsed. The control room contacted the local ambulance service to call them to the premises.
Mpumalanga:
- The control room was informed of a motor vehicle accident in Tsitsikamma Street. One of the occupants was slightly injured. The police was contacted to visit the scene.
- The control room was informed of a shooting in Dullstroom at a local centre and was requested to contact the police.
“The control room serves as centre of communication and ensures that the necessary assistance can be called in faster after emergencies. This is one of the benefits that AfriForum offers its members to ensure that communities are more prepared,” says Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s Safety Head for Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Become involved with your nearest AfriForum neighbourhood watch and become part of the difference: SMS your town’s name to 45353 (R1).