Cape Town - With the hope of taking back the streets, communities are becoming more involved in their neighbourhood watches. However, limited resources are a challenge.
Ewald Botha, the spokesperson for Western Cape MEC for Community Safety Dan Plato, said accredited watches are given a starter kit of reflective vests, torches, safety whistles, first-aid kits, a fire extinguisher, strobe lights and magnetic decals for vehicles, stickers and a lockable container.
“The biggest problem is government’s inability to assist citizens with the tools and/or education to protect themselves from criminals. The unfair distribution of police vehicles and manpower in perceived affluent areas forces already heavily taxed residents to patrol their own areas with resources funded out of their own pockets,” said Enver Maneveld, chairperson of the Punts, Heathfield, Elfindale and Windsor Neighbourhood Watch.
Accredited watches are eligible for basic training provided by the Department of Community Safety.
There are 226 accredited watches in the Western Cape.
“For the current financial year we are aiming at accrediting at least another 100 watches and we have set aside R1.225 million for training, as well as R1.3m for starter kits,” said Botha.
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Accreditation means a watch must comply with 2016 Department of Community Safety Regulations which give effect to the provisions of Section 6 of the Western Cape Community Safety Act of 2013. The objective of the act is to build neighbourhood watches as capable partners to work with the SAPS, community police forums and local and national government to make communities safer.
Watches are also given bicycles to patrol their areas but this is not always enough as members often find themselves digging into their own pockets to pay for petrol so patrols can be conducted in spite of weather conditions.
“The Metro and the Department of Community Safety have attempted to do justice to these added factors in the combat of crime. I personally feel that there is room to improve on resourcing,” said former Mitchells Plain CPF chairperson Hanif Loonat.
He said there was no real accountability.
“If we take the inventory from the department and try to reconcile, we will find that these items are mislaid or even used for personal purposes, like in the case of the bicycles.”
The department supports only voluntarily accredited neighbourhood watches with funding and training.
While watches cannot charge for services as these are voluntary structures, they can request donations.
The Devil’s Peak/Vredehoek Neighbourhood Watch was started in 2009 and is registering with the department.
“The watch purchased equipment such as reflective vests. Individuals purchased their own radios to join the watch radio network. A new radio costs around R 3 000,” said Elmari Dell, who oversees the watch.
They also installed CCTV and licence plate recognition cameras in the neighbourhood and had to cover the cost of the cameras, installation and software themselves.
The watch relies on advertising income from its website and newsletter as well as donations from residents, local businesses and fundraisers to cover operational costs.
“Vehicle-related crimes, especially theft out of motor vehicles, are common as well as house break-ins andmuggings,” said Dell.
The Punts, Heathfield, Elfindale and Windsor watch said it had had to raise funds in the community.
Maneveld said the watch has outgrown the ability to only service the areas. The watch gained the support of BKM neighbourhood watch and a control monitoring centre operation that monitors over 30 000 homes.
They started out with nothing but personal resources. By diligently knocking on the doors of local business and building up the correct networks, Maneveld marketed the organisation and its ability as well as the benefits it could lend to local businesses.
This lead to active participation from a number of companies via sponsorship of electronic surveillance equipment to secure the main entrance and exit points of just about the entire area.
These costs were in excess of R350 000 in the space of three years, according to chairperson Maneveld.
The need for the surveillance came about due to the types of crime committed in the area.
“Crime in the area is often fuelled by drug-related activity. There is an informal settlement known as the Gat/Gaatjie which has been around for over 20 years. This area is used by criminals to peddle their stolen goods. The Heathfield train station and subway is another hot spot to route drugs to the areas from Wynberg, as well as a place for drug transactions and drug use.”
LAP Land chairperson Glen Daniels believes the resources they are given by the department are sufficient because the watch oversees a small area.
The problem comes in when a watch covers a broader area. Like the Mitchells Plain one, which has nine sectors.
Mitchells Plain watch chairperson Daniel Davids said the starter kit was insufficient in the area where there is gang violence.
He said the watch runs various annual projects to raise money for equipment.
“We often have to use our own cars to escort ambulances into the dangerous areas of Mitchells Plain.
“We use our own money to get around and it is difficult as most volunteers are unemployed.”