All-women roadblock held
In celebration of women’s month Hillbrow cluster police women conducted an all- women roadblock at Helderberg Road/Joe Slovo Drive.
Hillbrow cluster consists of eight police stations which are, Hillbrow, Norwood, Yeoville, Rosebank, Parkview, Cleveland, Jeppe and Linden.
The cluster Social Crime Prevention Unit head, Colonel Shereen Swartz, said it was an annual event where the cluster women joined hands with the youth desks and union representatives in combating crime.
She said, “It’s an integrated unit where all women, all forces which are police, Gauteng traffic department, Metro police, youth desks, members of the victim empowerment unit and union representatives come together to celebrate women’s month and show the world that women can fight crime by themselves.
“Our police objective is to fight crime and we concentrate on theft of motor vehicles, drugs and crime in general, while Metro police and the traffic department concentrate on traffic offences.”
In the roadblock, police also used morpho touch machines to check for wanted suspects and illegal immigrants.
The police also distributed pamphlets educating women about domestic violence and giving motorists safety tips on avoiding theft out of motor vehicles, smash and grabs, and car theft.
Swartz said, “We wanted to sensitise motorists, especially females, about their safety and how they can avoid those situations. Like they must stop putting handbags on their seats [and rather put them in] the boot of the car.”
Norwood police spokesperson Constable Nonzwakazi Tsoanyane who also participated said, “We feel empowered, we can handle police duties without being assisted by our male colleagues. It makes me walk tall and proud of being a woman in blue.”
Tsoanyane said they also educated woman that women’s month doesn’t mean that women are above their partners.
She said, “We told them it doesn’t mean they can provoke their partners or husbands, it doesn’t mean they have an upper hand. The roadblock also helped us to reach out to many motorists.”
Meanwhile Hillbrow Youth Desk member, Koketso Sekhu, said she was happy to make a difference in the community.
“As a woman I am proud of our contribution to the community and to celebrate women, I feel good [about making] a difference somewhere somehow.”
Five fines were issued to unroadworthy vehicles.
