Patrol forums have been established to patrol bus stations and households, not only at night, but also during the day to keep residents and commuters, the community of Masoyi and surrounding areas of Hazyview safe.
The community members decided to recruit people to the forums to assist in curbing such crimes.
Residents in the area have welcomed the gesture, saying they now feel safe to walk at night, especially those who work late and also those using public transport daily, as previously, a number of robberies and house break-ins occurred in the area recently as a result of police non-visibility.
Some of the robbery victims told Hazyview Herald that since the inception of the patrol forums, they feel much safer as these criminals target bus stops and the places where the minibus taxis usually drop people off in the morning and at night.
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“With the patrols, we feel safe. When you feel unsafe to walk home, the patrols will gladly walk you home and ensure that you reach your house. Our wish is to see them continue with their work in line with the law, and if they catch one of the criminals, they must hand them over to the police. The area is big and we need more volunteers and to give them all the support they need,” they said.
Most suspects who burgle houses when the residents are away at work during the day have not been arrested.
However, with the forums, the house break-ins have largely decreased.
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In support of the initiative, each household is expected to pay between R20 and R30 per month. However, no one is forced to pay this; even if they do not, their houses will be monitored, and if anyone is seen trying to break in, the forum members will act. Some donated torches and reflector jackets marked with the name of the patroller.
The community is also warned that they need to know the faces of their patrollers, because they are aware that some of the criminals will buy reflector shirts to use them to attack innocent civilians and/or break into the houses. Each section has its own patrollers to make it easy for the residents and people to recognise and get to know them.
Meanwhile, the provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said the patrol forums are welcome as long as they do not take the law into their own hands.
He also said there is police visibility in the area, but the police cannot be everywhere at once. “The police are always willing to work with the community to curb crime. The forums they formed need to comply with the law when they are executing their duties.”
