Crime-Fighting Forum Launches New Campaign

The Crime Combating Forum (Sector Four Community Policing Forum) has launched a comprehensive campaign to address the alarming rise in crime rates within Freedom Park and the surrounding areas.

This campaign is in response to the increasing incidence of various crimes, including killings, petty crimes, house robberies, and hijackings.

Interestingly, this comes mere weeks after a similar initiative undertaken by the Eldorado Park CPF because of the surge in gang-related violence in recent months.

It’s important to note that the heavily burdened and resource-strapped Eldorado Park Police Station serves both areas. The station made it to the top 30 police stations for a range of contact crimes, such as attempted murder, common assault, carjacking, kidnapping, malicious damage to property, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, as per the fourth-quarter stats of the 2022/23 financial year, released earlier this year.

Sibusiso Zwane, chairperson of sector four, highlighted that the prevailing crime patterns have left residents feeling like prisoners in their homes.

“As sector four, we have decided that we can’t continue to stand idly by. We must confront this ongoing nightmare plaguing our community,” he remarked during the campaign launch.

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This campaign focuses on areas including Freedom Bridge next to Kusasalethu, Siyaya, and Lindelani informal settlements, all known to pose significant challenges due to their densely populated and congested settings.

With the festive season on the horizon, the campaign aims to intensify efforts to support policing in the area.

Zwane emphasised, “It is truly a mobilisation effort to engage the community and encourage them to become an integral part of the CPF. This approach facilitates the involvement of vigilant individuals within the community who act as crime combatants.”

He further stressed the need for a closer relationship between the community and the police, especially considering the ongoing concerns surrounding the SAPS. These include slow response times, vehicle shortages, and allegations of corruption.

National crime statistics released earlier in the year revealed that 12 out of the top 30 police stations in the country for contact crimes were in Gauteng. Furthermore, 11 police stations in the province made it into the top 30 for community-reported serious crimes.

Zwane concluded, “It’s true that residents do not feel safe and are increasingly frustrated. However, the campaign is designed to swiftly address these issues, and the CPF is pivotal in bridging the gap between the police and the communities.”

The upcoming campaign dates are scheduled for November 11 and December 9.

Source: Crime combating forum launches campaign

Also read:

Crime-Plagued Areas in Johannesburg Could Experience Service Reductions

Picture: X / SowetoUrbanNews

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