Volunteer peace corps boosts EMPD visibility

According to metro spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, members of the Peace Corps enroll at the EMPD training academy, where they receive basic training that will equip them for their duties.

“Exactly 10 young people from each of the 101 wards in the metro, through the coordination of ward committees, have been absorbed into the programme,” says Gadebe.

“Their duties include patrolling the streets, enforcing and educating on by-laws, traffic control duties and engaging in social crime prevention.

“Through this programme the metro envisages a broad public participation on social crime prevention and fighting of lawlessness. The metro believes that the presence of the Peace Corps will enhance the visibility of the EMPD and the metro among communities.

“Among other duties of the Peace Corps is that its members will serve as liaison between people and the municipality regarding by-laws.”

He adds that the city is undertaking an intervention to assist in the enforcement of by-laws and extending crime prevention and compliance with the objective of creating an orderly, well regulated and clean city through the Peace Corps.

“The enlisted young people will be accorded peace officer status so that they are legally empowered to make the necessary interventions under strict command of the EMPD.

“The programme is aimed at getting unemployed youth in Ekurhuleni involved in the fight against crime, and at the same time, empower them with skills, create employment and, thus, reduce the rate of poverty.”

At the launch, Gungubele, said there was not a better time to unleash these members to the streets of Ekurhuleni.

“We all know that while the festive season is seen unequivocally as a time for relaxation and celebration of a year that was, it has also become one of the most notorious periods for crime in the country. As communities celebrate in peace thugs prowl our streets looking for the nearest target to attack,” said the mayor.

“To make Ekurhuleni a safer place to stay, live and play – the city of Ekurhuleni is always looking at various interventions to bring peace and stability in the area.

“These men and women in the green uniform will assist to keep the city safer.

“We are also going to be relying heavily on them to assist in reporting service delivery hiccups like power outages and water and sewer pipe bursts, as and when they get exposed to such. In essence they are now officially our eyes and ears on the ground.

“Already many of you must have seen them in action at busy intersections when robots are out of order. They have also been performing wonders at scholar patrol points throughout the city.

“What has been exciting about this programme has been the gender balance among the members. This team we are unleashing today boasts 50 per cent females and the same number of males.

“Also of particular importance and interest for me is the fact that this project has absorbed 83 demilitarisation programme members. These are people who devoted their lives to fighting for the liberation of our country only to be left jobless after the struggle.

“Realising the violent background of our region during the Apartheid era, the city then introduced the Demilitarisation Programme in an effort to re-skill these freedom-fighters and help them become employable and reintegrated into to society. I must say that this has been a daunting task but we are making progress in this regard.

“From the stories I have heard from officials in the EMPD and the MMC for Community Safety, and based on what I have seen for myself so far, I am convinced that these Peace Corps deserve the certification and recognition they are getting today.

“They have shown great commitment and dedication to promoting safety and security in our region. Ours as communities is to embrace and support them.

“I would like to remind our communities that the restoration of Peace and Order remains our primary task and the police and other security agencies are there to sustain it. Let us all work together to make our place a better region to stay, play and work.” – @NalediBoksburg