Crime fighting efforts around Khayelitsha got a shot in the arm when members of the Khayelitsha/Site B neighbourhood watch received new safety jackets.
At least 156 jackets were handed out to neighbourhood watch groups from all six Khayelitsha sectors in a special event at the Khayelitsha Police Station on Monday 12 December. The jackets were donated by the office of provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile.
Monde Bambelo, chair of the Khayelitsha/ Site B Community Policing Forum (CPF), said they are happy with the support.
Bambelo believes the jackets will motivate the members.
“All our members are volunteers. They are people who are committed to keeping their community safe. And receiving these jackets will lift their spirit,” he said.
Bambelo stated that the jackets would make it easier for anyone to identify the patrollers on the streets. They will be shared among the groups within the sectors.
“We have 19 neighbourhood watch groups in all these six sectors. And only two of them are not yet registered. Not all our members will get the jackets because we have more than 200 members in Khayelitsha as a whole,” he explained, adding that they only have bibs, caps, torches and T-shirts.
However, he stated that their members experienced a lot of challenges during their patrol in the morning and evening.
“Some of the culprits we face during our patrols are fully armed. They threaten us. We know some of them because we stay with them in our communities. Our lives are in danger,” he said.
However, he stated that the police are working hard to protect the community.
Khayelitsha Police Station commander Brig Mnoneleli Magobiyane described their relationship with safety patrollers as “formidable.
He said the station is blessed to have such a team to fight crime.
“Policing is about visibility. And these new jackets will help us to identify them. Also, working with CPF and NHW means more boots on the ground. And when there is more police visibility crime will dwindle,” said Magobiyane.
He stated that more officers would be added to his station during the festive season to add man power.