Tackling crime in the community is not for the faint-hearted and few individuals with disabilities will brave this challenge.
One of them is Mnoni Kente (56).
He has been an active member of the Site C Neighbourhood Watch for more than three years.
“Our job is to help and protect people who are going to work every morning. I like what I’m doing. I felt I could not sit down while the people outside needed help,” he stated.
Daily, Kente joins watch to patrol the area and keep his community safe despite his disability.
His one leg is not working properly and relies on a walking stick to keep his balance. The group walks through the streets of Site C from 04:30 to 06:30 to escort those who go to work.
On Wednesday 16 November, his dedication and commitment were recognised by the City of Cape Town.
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith, accompanied by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, honoured Kente with an “extraordinary commitment” award for his role in the community.
The award forms part of the City’s annual neighbourhood watch awards in recognition of the safety work carried out by groups and individuals in different communities.
Numerous groups and individuals were honoured across the city.
“Neighbourhood watch patrollers are also ambassadors and fulfil an important interface role between communities and the City of Cape Town.
“We would like to say thank you to each and every patroller who gave up their spare time to make communities a safer place. The City stays committed to providing training, guidance as well as crime prevention and patrol equipment to neighbourhood watches. I hope that these awards will be a motivation to other communities to also establish their own watch groups so that we can all do more to serve and to protect our residents,” said Smith.
In an interview with City Vision, an ecstatic Kente expressed his appreciation of the award.
“I didn’t expect it. I was so surprised when I received the news. The certificate inspires me a lot and I believe it’s something that is going to motivate other members of the team,” he said.
However, he called on the City to financially support them to keep the group motivated.
“I so wish the City could give us a stipend and working equipment like jackets and other stuff. We are just doing it out of love. We do not get paid and some of us have families to feed,” he pleaded.
