Residents who noticed more traffic than usual on Friday, might not have realised how crimefighters have shielded them.
A closer inspection of the vehicles driving through town revealed they belonged to patrolling members of Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch, who joined with members of AfriForum during the organisation’s national mass patrol.
This initiative is rolled out every three months, to improve visibility, protect and encourage the cooperation of residents.
Prior to the mass patrol, Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch members on duty were invited to the AfriForum headquarters at the corner of High and Heeren Streets, where they shared a meal around the braai fire and strategised.
The patrol began at around 8pm and continued well into the early hours of the morning.
Patrol members covered a large area including the CBD, residential suburbs and surrounding farms and plots, at a total combined distance of 1 012,7 kilometres and 159 man hours on the road.
There was little activity reported during the patrol and no major incidents occurred.
AfriForum thanked all volunteers and members who participated in this latest national mass patrol, noting their service despite joining being entirely optional.
Control room operator for Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch, Flip Oosthuizen paid tribute to them with an anonymous poem titled Why they volunteer: “‘It’s not for the money, nor the fame; it’s not for any personal gain. It’s just for love of fellow man, to make a difference where you can. It’s just to give up of thyself; That’s something you can’t buy with wealth. It’s not for medals worn with pride; It’s just for the feeling deep inside. It’s the reward deep in your heart. It’s the feeling that you’ve been a part of helping others far and near; That is what makes them volunteer’.”
Eugene van Aswegen, AfriForum’s provincial coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal, added: “AfriForum is making a plea to communities to become involved and start prioritising their safety themselves.
“We cannot rely on the State alone to take care of our safety. Become involved at any safety institution in your area and become part of the solution.”
Also read: AfriForum’s crime fighters trained for patrol work
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