By Karabo Ntanzi
Logo: Supplied
The rising crime levels across many neighborhoods prompted residents in Sobantu, Galeshewe, to launch a neighborhood watch in December 2022. It incorporates Ikageleng, Matankwana-Tyala Street and the newly established Mosata Square shanties located in the old City United Football Club grounds.
Sobantu Neighbourhood Watch (Sob-Nei-Wa) held a meeting at the Uniting Dutch Reformed Church on Sunday, 21 January. More than 100 community members attended, including Bishop Louw, founder of Operation Fiela.
Bishop Thabiso Louw encouraged citizens to stand together and responsibly fight against crime. “Some members of operation Fiela were surprised to hear about this initiative because Wit Dam and Matankwana are the most problematic areas”.
Louw referred to three separate incidents where boys were beaten to death by the communities in Galeshewe. “This is not a model of responsible citizenship, ” he admonished.
Louw advised the executive members and coordinators to monitor patrollers, “Make sure that they are sober-minded and do not have any emotional baggage, which might not be easy to identify as some people take out their frustrations on culprits.”
He said their focus as Operation Fiela is on drugs; hence they encourage communities to deal with other issues. He informed the meeting that some houses within Sobantu are under surveillance for selling drugs.
The neighborhood watch committee is led by five executive members and three elderly persons to provide guidance. The area is divided into four clusters and each cluster has two coordinators.
One of the elderly persons, Ditshwanelo Mdokwana, explained that patrols are conducted regularly at night, “the challenge is the lack of male figures to assist during patrols and the absence of young people.”
She also appealed to the community to donate water, juice, energy bars, fruits, or anything to help patrollers to remain alert. Community members were also requested to buy and wear branded reflector vests to increase visibility even during the day.
Mdokwana informed the community that Sob-Nei-Wa works with law enforcement agencies such as the ward councilor, Isaac Ruiter and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) under the leadership of Gopolang Plaatje.
Members initiated a project to erect warning boards at the four entrances to Sobantu. They will also purchase other necessities, such as torches. The Neighbourhood watch undertook that each household should contribute towards securing these items.
MaMdokwana remarked, “We were disappointed to learn that some perpetrators are our children.”
Sob-Nei-Wa’s motto is: “We are watching you,” and their strategy is premised on three principles, namely:
- Prevention – community members are encouraged to protect themselves and their assets; they are also discouraged from buying stolen goods.
- Reaction – the intention is for each household to have a whistle. Members are encouraged to use other standard measures like switching on the lights or sending messages to their neighbors and informing the perpetrator that –”we are watching you.”
- Correction – each case will be treated according to the perpetrator’s profile. For instance, if the perpetrator is using drugs, advice will be sought from relevant stakeholders.
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