AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches are fast becoming a trusted crime-fighting force, feared by criminals and welcomed by the police service. From Roodepoort to Randfontein, the community watchdogs are playing an active role in the execution of multiple arrests.
They form part of a united band of active citizens that includes security companies, Community Policing Forums and K9 squads from the various stations. Drug dealers and cable thieves have been the most common perpetrators, but AfriForum has also lent a hand in locating several missing persons. In one such case, a person was tracked down on Monday 10 August, following thorough investigative work.
Two days earlier, on 8 August, police requested assistance from the neighbourhood watches with a planned ambush and arrest of an alleged drug dealer. Various drugs were found on the suspect, and his cellphone and vehicle were also confiscated.
It was a busy Saturday as the AfriForum members went on to assist in the arrest of three men in connection with the suspected theft of an undisclosed amount of copper cables. Llewellynn Hemmens, AfriForum’s Provincial Safety Coordinator for the northern region, confirmed the coordinated purpose of the collaboration with police.
“These successes serve as proof that different role players can indeed work together to achieve a goal. It does however require perseverance and good leadership, and I would like to thank the neighbourhood watches for their hard work and good cooperation with the police and other safety role players,” he said.
