Domestic workers empowered at Lonehill Residents Association forum to help combat crime in the area

The Lonehill Residents Association (LRA) recently held a Domestic Workers Forum at Lonehill Village and was joined by the Douglasdale police and Community Policing Forum (CPF) in their bid to bring a closer bond of mutual trust between the community and police.

The forum event was organised by Shelly Miller of the LRA had an attendance of 40 domestic workers. “We host these domestic forums every second Thursday of every month as we teach the women about security, first aid, blood check and the next forum we will be teaching them is basic computer skills. The reason why we invited the police and CPF was so that they can educate the women on domestic abuse and how they can go about getting restraining orders and speak up about it,” Miller said.

Miller explained that they have been holding the domestic forums for 11 years and believed that it was a wonderful thing that they get to host these forums for the women.

The head of communications at the Douglasdale Police Station, Captain Mpho Tshetlhane stated that their attendance at the domestic workers’ forum was a vital part of any community’s efforts to prevent crime.

“We as the police discussed the importance of reporting crimes to the police station, even minor ones which also helps the police to curtail information of the picture of crime trends in the area,” Tshetlhane said.

Douglasdale police’s Social Crime Prevention, Sergeant Mokwena addressed the women with a detailed explanation on domestic violence which included its various forms and the legal remedies available through the criminal justice system in which the police play a key part alongside the Department of Justice.

Mokwena added that Victim Support Services were also provided by the police on 078 8502341.

Ward 93 councillor Candice James said, “I was invited by the Douglasdale Sector 4 committee as I was one of the speakers for the day. I spoke about the listeriosis outbreak and the dangers around it. I was amazed to find out that the women thought that the outbreak was in Germiston and they were unaware that it was also on this side of Johannesburg.”

James explained that the women were educated more on washing food thoroughly and how to prepare the food free of the disease. “We gave the women more information about the disease and I think more domestic forums like these need to be held so that we can educate them more because they spend most of their time working and are unaware what is happening around them.”

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