Like everything else, citizens are on their own when it comes to crime fighting

There are many areas in South Africa where our government is not delivering and where citizens have to do the jobs our civil servants are paid to do.

While we provide our own electricity and water, as well as fill potholes nearby, we are increasingly forced to keep ourselves safe because our police force cannot – or will not – do the job.

For the wealthier among us, this entails relying on private security firms for “armed response” to criminal emergencies.

Yet we have already, in either embryo form or in inefficiently working form, a powerful tool to help combat crime, say experts – and that is the system of community policing forums.

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These bodies not only help make communities more aware of threats through the sharing of information and intelligence by the cops, they also help make up for police personnel shortages through carrying out patrol and observation duties.

Of course, having a working community police forum requires commitment from volunteers. But these bodies cannot operate in areas where residents themselves are part of the problem – either by involvement in crime (through buying stolen goods, for example) or turning a blind eye to lawlessness.

None but ourselves can save ourselves from the blight of crime.

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