Some thirty years ago, together with neighbours we knew well, we raised our kids on 13th Street, Orange Grove.
We pushed prams and walked our dogs from 13th Street through the park, past the Norwood Police Station, through the Recreation Centre playgrounds and up into 5th Avenue, all without hindrance.
We looked out for our friends and cared about what went down in our area. This was called Neighbourhood Watch.
Then came the human invasion and greed. We lost the gym and pools. Paterson Park was taken over by vagrants. It was not considered safe to push prams and walk dogs.
The police precinct became a dumpsite for human refuse. Petty theft, break-ins and hijackings were numerous and became just another case number for insurance purposes, hardly worth reporting for the wasted time required. We lost confidence in our police and municipal officials.
What went wrong? I believe the community stopped caring, became disillusioned and looked the other way with an “it isn’t our problem” attitude.
Thankfully, thirty years later, there is rebirth and resurrection of hope. We have community members who care. They are fighting to make us aware of our options, of what we can do to improve matters. We can get our neighbourhood back to what it was – but only if every one of us gives up indifference, takes a stand, and demands what is our Constitutional right: a clean, safe and positive environment in which to bring up our kids. Join your Residents’ Association, join your Community Police Forum.
Suggest ways to help our hard-working (and also disillusioned) police to help us. Together let’s try and put pride and caring back into our community.
Neighbourhood Watch does work – we proved it. This can be a new beginning and is probably the only viable way forward.
