Self-made security

Rising at 4am to don reflective gear, gathering at known hotspots and patrolling isolated areas of River Park and Lombardy East, a small but growing group of residents is doing its best to reduce the scourge of burglaries, smash and grabs and hijackings plaguing their suburbs.

“We just do it from the heart,” said Oupa Tshotlhang, chairperson of the River Park Patrol, who says the initiative is run purely by volunteers eager to see their suburbs made safe for everyone.

Beginning in May with the onset of winter, the group has run patrols six days a week in parts of Linbro Park, along London Road, a known smash and grab hotspot, and around local taxi ranks and Marlboro Gautrain station, where women are often harassed and mugged on their way to work. The initiative has received a positive response from both Sandringham police and Servest Security, which provided members with basic training and reflective vests.

“To date, the patrollers have had only one close encounter with a criminal, when they apprehended a would-be bag-snatcher who unfortunately escaped before police arrived. However, the initiative has produced a considerable local reduction in crime,” says Tshotlhang.

“Since we took over, there haven’t been any smash-and-grabs or people taking cellphones,” he added.

In order to continue their good work, the patrollers are calling on their fellow residents to volunteer and take part in this daily initiative to ensure the safety of all. In addition, any donations – raincoats in particular, with the rainy season approaching – are welcomed by this intrepid and community-minded group.

This community is taking their safety into their own hands. What is your community doing to ensure its safety?

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