Residents living long Buckingham Road said the fight against crime has united them more.
One of the community leaders in the area, Mr Mark Groome, said following a spurt in crime in the area, they saw the need to stand together and fight crime.
The residents began standing together by starting a Whatsapp group.
“There was a lot of crime in the area, just like other parts of the country. We decided to get to know each other as neighbours. If you do not know your neighbour, you will check to see what is happening if his car alarm is triggered at night. You will not even inquire or call for help. But now everybody knows everyone. When something happens, someone is there to help,” said Mr Groome.
He added that there are two Whatsapp groups.
“We have a chat group and an emergency group. In the chat group we discuss anything and everything. In the emergency group, we talk about crime and suspicious behaviours. Our SAPS Sector Manager, Warrant Officer Marks Crouse and the Cleveland SAPS station commander Colonel Bongani Dlamini, are part of this group. They pick up information from the residents as they interact with each other. Their response has been phenomenal,” he said.
There are added benefits to working closely together with the community and the police.
“An armed response company cannot always be in your area, but your neighbour is. We now look after our neighbours and they do the same for us,” he said.
Another resident, Ms Rebecca Briggs, called on other communities to work together in the fight against crime.
“Our house was broken into during the day on a Sunday. We live in a world where there is a lot of crime. As a community, we could not afford road closures or armed response. So we decided to do it ourselves. As someone said; if you want something done, do it yourself. We are living in a safer environment now because we are looking out for each other. The more eyes the better,” she said.
The Cleveland SAPS communications officer, Constable Mpho Mashakane, said this is the proof that when communities work together with the police, crime can be defeated.
“The police alone cannot win the fight against crime. This community is working hand-in-hand with the Sector Manager, W/O Crouse. They have formed a WhatsApp group chat where all crime-related issues and alerts are shared. This move is commended by the station commander, Colonel Bongani Dlamani,” said Const Mashakane.
MMC Sello Lemao also commended the residents for their initiative.
“Safety is a collective responsibility. This is in line with the city’s plans to promote a safer city. We encourage all communities to follow this example and form street committees. Work together with the police and other stakeholders,” said MMC Lemao.
