Cape Town - Community leaders in Cape Town are demanding more police visibility this year, claiming this to be the only real solution to assist Cape Flats crime prevention efforts.
Hanover Park community leader Yaseen Johaar said even though police visibility could help crime prevention efforts, it might not be enough at this point.
“For years we’ve been calling for police visibility as a key factor. To have them present and visible so that crime would drop.
“With our experience of last year in the community, we also collect our own independent statistics and I’m realising that maybe even visible policing wouldn’t be enough if you look at the type of policing we get,” Johaar said.
Manenberg community leader Amina Abrahams said: “People need to stand together. What we’ve found out is that when we see gang activity starting up then we need to interact. We can’t turn a blind eye and with that comes mediation.
“We also need the support of all the community people in the area because in most cases people are covering up for gangsters instead of reporting them. It is really hard work in our community to mediate with gangsters and ask them not to cause crime,” Abrahams said.
Grassy Park CPF chairperson Melvyn Jonkers said: “Visible policing is the only method of eradicating and fighting crime. There must be police visibility; police must stop and search people. Our expectation is that the police need to get rid of known drug outlets.”
Steenberg CPF chairperson Gavin Walbrugh said: “We are asking for more feet on the ground and more visibility in our area, but we always get met with the same response – there’s a shortage of manpower. When a crime happens, we get different squads who come into the area to quell the violence, but we are asking why can’t they be here before it happens to prevent crime from happening?”
Gatesville Neighbourhood watch chairperson Fowzie Versamie said: “What we want is more active patrolling, not just with vehicles but foot patrolling. If there is visibility in our area, we wouldn’t see all these crimes.”