Community Policing Forums (CPFs) across Buffalo City metro have stepped up crime-prevention efforts, working alongside police and private security companies to patrol neighbourhoods, confiscate dangerous weapons and report suspected criminal activity.
During December, crime forums in the metro confiscated hundreds of weapons from alleged would-be criminals.
The forums, which were established to strengthen co-operation between communities and law enforcement, have become more visible in recent years, particularly in areas where residents say limited police resources affect response times.
CPF provincial secretary Ludumo Salman said there was a growing need for community-based structures to support policing.
“There is a serious need for crime forums, in essence where police fail, then forums are there to close the gap,” Salman said.
“Crime stats [have] radically reduced, as most criminals are scared of forums.
“They [criminals] are sometimes able to evade arrest from SAPS, but with crime community forums, it becomes difficult,” he said.
According to Salman, co-operation between CPFs and police has led to the regular handover of confiscated weapons, including firearms, to law enforcement.
Several neighbourhoods, including Duncan Village, Quigney and Mdantsane, have developed working relationships between residents, CPFs and the SA Police Service (SAPS). These partnerships include joint patrols, information-sharing and reporting of suspected criminal activity.
East London police spokesperson Hazel Mqala said SAPS had a good working relationship with community forums in the city.
“When they confiscate dangerous weapons during their patrols they hand them over to the SAPS,” Mqala said.
Community forums have also established cooperation with private security companies. Red Alert national operations manager Brett Harvey said his company worked closely with several forums.
“We have a good relationship with community forums.
“They help us a lot with providing information and assist us with patrolling operations,” Harvey said.
“Community forums haven’t hindered us in any way. What hinders us is rouge members of the public or individuals who find it okay to try take the law into their own hands or contaminate a crime scene we are trying to control.
“I think the more security in an area is beneficial to everyone, as long as the people involved are following the law.
“One trend we have noticed recently is certain community forums are trying to evolve into security companies and posing as forums, which is deceiving the public and illegal,” he said.
Forums operating in the East London CBD, including those in Quigney and Southernwood, have reported collecting and handing over large quantities of dangerous items to police.
Just one of the forums operating in the CBD is preparing to hand over about 200 dangerous items to SAPS.
The Quigney Community Patrollers’ haul of confiscated items includes more than 100 knives, many of them homemade, using tape and wire for handles. Another 50 okapi knives were seized, bringing the number of knives to just over 150.
The forum also reported confiscating 15 machetes, three swords — including Japanese katanas, one homemade spear, three axes and one sickle. Most of these items were seized during the festive season.
Quigney Community Patrollers chair Anele Mkangelwa said they formed the forum because crime was bad in the area, with people getting robbed in broad daylight, with little assistance from police.
“There were danger hotspots where people would get robbed as we looked on.
“There were also instances when someone would report a case, the cases would not go far. That is when we decided to start a neighborhood watch to ensure that people’s houses and businesses weren’t getting broken into because we wanted more investors coming into the areas we stay in.
“We stay in these areas and we are the first people to see when people get robbed, or stolen goods get sold and we can see and stop such things.
“We then decided to work with police to ensure that there was less crimes in our neighborhoods.”
Meanwhile, the forum in Duncan Village has reported that it is in possession of more than 50 knives, about five bolt cutters, three saws, more than 16 screwdrivers and two firearms.
According to the forums, these items are regularly handed over to the police in their respective areas throughout the year.
Some forums also said they return stolen or lost items to owners, as part of efforts to build trust within the communities they serve. They said their focus is on reporting criminal activity, confiscating dangerous items and cooperating with law enforcement.
Salman said community involvement remained critical in preventing crime.
“The role of the community is important. Without information from the community, it becomes difficult to deal with criminals,” he said.
Police warned that while community involvement is encouraged, members of the public should not take the law into their own hands and should report criminal activity through official channels.
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