The local men and women in blue did their bit for Mandela Day in Tarlton.
The Tarlton SAPS Women’s Network, the Tarlton SAPS Men for Change forum, and a number of the public service personnel visited the Matshelapad, Seroba and Norman informal settlements for a day of giving.
Twenty-one members of the police force took part in the drive which assisted 350 members of the community.
They gave food-stuffs, clothing and blankets to the elderly and needy people in the communities they serve.
The station commander at the Tarlton Police Station, Lieutenant-Colonel Christinah Tsoadi said that she and her team felt they needed to give back to their community because they know where help is needed and which areas are in dire straits.
“Policing is not only about fighting crime; it is about building the community as well,” she told the News.
This is why Tsoadi’s team continues to give beyond just celebrating Mandela Day. The station’s Victim Empowerment Unit has been involved in various community outreach programs in the last year in a bid to improve the lives of the community members.
The day created the perfect opportunity for the police force to educate the public as well. Tsoadi addressed issues such as alcohol abuse, domestic violence and the abuse of people living with disabilities. She says the biggest challenge they face is alcohol abuse, domestic violence and break-ins, which is why they decided to use Mandela Day to deal with those issues and introduce the community to their sector commanders.
One resident who was overjoyed by the visit from the men and women in blue was 55-year-old Rebecah Dube from the Norman informal settlement.
“I have been living at Norman since 1973 and this is the first time that I witness police giving gifts to the community and I wish that God would bless and protect them,” she said.
“The community needs to work with us so that we can be in a better position to fight crime together. Crime-fighting is a group initiative that needs the community to participate as patrollers, informers and community policing forum members,” said Tsoadi.
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