Founded during lockdown: ‘Saints NHW’ come together to fight crime
Possibly one of the only Neighbourhood Watches to be founded and launched during lockdown, 'The Saints' are ready to make a difference in their neighbourhood.
THE SAINTS Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) was formed to help the community in Escombe, surrounding St Augustines Road, fight crime.
“During the height of the hard lockdown imposed by the State of National Disaster promulgated by the President, crime in our area escalated as a result of hard economic times and rampant unemployment,” said John Buckley a resident in Eldridge Road.
Malvern CPF
“Our area has been well served in the past by the Malvern Community Policing Forum (MCPF), chaired by Kevin Pillay who has been actively engaging with the greater community to establish and maintain greater crime awareness and prevention,” Buckley said, explaining that Malvern CPF serves as a governing body over no less than 11 neighbourhood watches in the policing area.
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“Malvern CPF has a close working relationship with the Malvern SAPS, local security companies and other law enforcement agencies,” said Buckley, adding that the guidance of Pillay and others from Malvern CPF were instrumental in the formation of Saints NHW.
Lockdown restrictions
Despite lockdown regulations imposing limitations on public gatherings and patrols especially during the first stages of the hard lockdown earlier in 2020, Saints NHW was about to form an interim committee via an online meeting platform, which according to Buckley gives them the honour of being one of the first of such new community based crime fighting groups to be formed during a lockdown period.
“The Saints, as the group is commonly known, is still in its formative stage,” said Buckley.
“We are being guided through the formalisation process by Pillay and the Malvern CPF through regular meetings, various WhatsApp groups and ongoing advisories.”
Buckley said the boundaries of the neighbourhood covered by The Saints are marked by Eldridge Road to Main Road to Clark Road with the M7 highway acting as the Northern boundary which is what makes the area most susceptible to criminal activity.
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“The process of drafting and adopting a formal constitution has begun,” said Buckley.
To join the partollers group, contact John Buckley on 073 525 6855.
This story originally appeared in the print edition of the Queensburgh News dated 27 November 2020.
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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
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