Community in Blue members from Gugulethu received winter jackets to keep them warm and motivated to do their work during the cold winter months.
The handover happened on Wednesday 22 February, at the Gugulethu Police Station.
Community in Blue, an extension of the local police, was established by the police last year to help fight crime in community.
The structure consists of more than 50 members.
Sgt Sandisiwe Ngqele, the spokesperson for the station, described the group as an extension of the local neighbourhood watch. She said the jackets would boost their confidence. They will also be visible in the community.
“The group is doing a similar job as the neighbourhood watch. The only difference is that they are working closely with the police. We deploy them in hotspots like Khikhi, NY108, Gugulethu Mall, KTC, NY 6, etc. We communicate with them all the time. Sometimes, we go with them when we patrol at night,” said Ngqele.
Speaking on behalf of the Community in Blue members, Babalwa Thobi said they are the ears for the police. They report anything suspicious to the police.
“Every morning, we go to the police station to clock in and out when we leave. We go into groups as we are deployed in different areas,” said Thobi.
She stated that since the structure was established, crime has stabilised in the community.
“The community knows us. When something happens in their areas, they report to us. People are no longer getting robbed on the streets because of our presence,” said Thobi.