Durban - Tired of hearing about crime in his area, Kevin Naidoo decided to do something to change things.
Naidoo, 41, has been the chairperson of the Newlands community police forum (CPF) since last May. Ismail Motala is the deputy chairperson.
“I joined the CPF to assist the community to make our neighbourhood safer. I was tired of sitting on the outskirts,” said Naidoo, who is self-employed.
“While I enjoy the job, there is never a dull day. The team and I are always trying new strategies to achieve our goals.”
The CPF covers all areas in Newlands East (sector 1) and Newlands West (sector 2).
“We have 10 members on the Newlands CPF main body, 11 members in sector 1, and 8 members in sector 2. Our role is to assist the community in times of need by liaising with the SAPS (South African Police Service) and ensuring the matters affecting them are addressed. For example, ensuring that the police is visible in hot spot areas. We also inform them of crime trends or criminals in specific areas.”
He said the CPF tried to maintain some order at crime scenes. While they are not allowed to make arrests, they can detain criminals until the police arrive. They also work with metro police and security companies, Naidoo said.
The forum holds crime awareness days to get the community together and to educate them on different strategies to handle situations.
“What’s challenging is the community’s lack of participation and knowledge of what is going on around them. Also, there is a perception that it's the CPF’s responsibility to address crime.”
The CPF and the security companies recently began installing automatic number plate recognition cameras in some areas.
Email: [email protected]
PHOENIX
Dinesh Pillay did not want to be an armchair critic. Crime was a problem in Phoenix, so he joined the area's CPF.
Pillay, 43, a fire engineer from Rydalvale in Phoenix, was elected the CPF’s chairperson last February. The deputy chairperson is Lavern Karrim.
The CPF was formed more than 20 years ago and the area is split into six sectors. Each sector has a chairperson and voluntary patrollers who report to Pillay, the overall person in charge.
Pillay, formerly from Chatsworth, moved to Phoenix 17 years ago.
“Crime in the community was increasing. I was concerned about my safety and that of other residents. I did not want to sit back and complain. I wanted to make a difference,” he said.
“For me, the best way to do that was to join the CPF. I joined about seven years ago and I was later elected chairman of sector three.”
He said the CPF often received reports of house break-ins, robberies, hijackings, killings, assaults and home invasions.
“We have two types of criminals. Those who rob and sometimes kill during home invasions or hijackings. Then you get the drug users, who steal just to get quick cash. In Phoenix, the drug, rock cocaine, is popular. It sells for between R12 and R15.
“We have apprehended drug users stealing copper pipes and cellphones, and breaking into homes to steal small items to sell and make money to buy their next fix. This is a problem because it leads to an increase in criminal activity.”
He said the forum had more than 300 volunteers to assist with patrols at different times during the day.
“We have a strong working relationship with the Phoenix police station. We have a programme called the Community in Blue.
“The SAPS trains our members to ensure we follow protocol. We understand that the police are understaffed and under-resourced but we are lucky to have a SAPS patrol vehicle for every sector.”
Pillay said greater community involvement was needed.
“Although we have a large number of volunteers, we still require more people because Phoenix is a huge area.”
– Sector 1: Redfern, Whetstone, Industrial Park, Mount Royale and parts of Westham and Bhambayi.
– Sector 2: Clayfield, Stonebridge, Rockford, Rainham, Southgate, Greenbury, Centenary Park and Mount Moriah.
– Sector 3: Rydalvale, Longcroft, Eastbury and Starwood.
– Sector 4: Woodview, Foresthaven, Sunford, Caneside, Stanmore and Grove End.
– Sector 5: Palmview, Sastri Park, Brookdale and Trenance Manor.
– Sector 6: Westham, Esselen, Northcorft, White City and Brooksfarm.
Pillay can be contacted at 084 289 2661 and Karrim at 067 243 2436.
DURBAN NORTH/UMHLANGA
Darryl Oliver is the public relations officer (PRO) for the Durban North and uMhlanga CPF which was started in 1996.
He is also the chairperson of sector 1B, which covers Glen Ashley and Virginia. The IT specialist was responsible for creating the CPF’s website.
“Before I was involved with the CPF, I wanted to have a resource that people could go to. And that’s my goal for this year – to drive more people to the website to find out more about us and how they can get involved in whatever way,” said Oliver.
He has been the PRO for the executive since 2022 and the chairperson of sector 1B since 2021. Haden Searles and Terry Goulding are the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the executive, respectively.
Oliver said most crimes in the area were opportunistic.
“Across all sectors, we mostly see petty crimes. It’s normally something like a resident leaving a car unlocked and a laptop getting stolen. But there are other crimes such as shoplifting or business robberies, but those are not too common.”
He said besides the executive, there was no active membership, but many residents got involved in patrolling voluntarily.
“We have quite active members, but we take what we can get and what we need at the time. Our aim is to be the bridge between SAPS and driving anti-crime initiatives.
“We work hand-in-hand with neighbourhood watches, and are the eyes and ears out there.”
He added: “The biggest challenge is people not reporting crimes because they think it’s too petty. For instance, if a lawn mower is stolen, residents do not think it’s important enough to be reported. But they will complain that the police are not patrolling the area.
“We have found that the police will not patrol an area if the statistics at the station do not show that any crime is present.
“They will only patrol where there are reported cases of crime. Remember, no crime is too petty. Report all activities to the police beyond just reporting on our CPF WhatsApp groups.”
The CPF has seven sectors and covers from the uMngeni River to the uMdloti River. That is Durban North, La Lucia, Virginia, Glen Ashley, uMhlanga, the Sibaya Precinct and parts of uMdloti.
Oliver can be contacted at 072 596 8488. To find out more about the Durban North and uMhlanga CPF, visit https://dnucpf.co.za
VERULAM
In 1994, the Verulam CPF was formed by Colonel Skyes Pillay, the station commander at Verulam SAPS at the time.
The current chairperson is Rachel Wilkin, 49, from Trenance Park, a former personal assistant. The deputy chairperson is Sakhile Nzama.
“The CPF uses the crime statistics released by the minister of police to identify what is contributing to known social crime in our areas. We then embark on education and awareness initiatives and, if needed, possible intervention steps to help reduce that crime,” said Wilkin.
“Residents in each area are encouraged to communicate what crimes are taking place in their area, so the CPF can identify what makes that area an attractive target for the perpetrators and then take the necessary steps to curb it. This will include how police resources will be deployed in that area.
“People do not realise that the CPF and the police cannot possibly know what is happening in an area unless it is communicated to them. Our challenges are people who withhold information about known criminals and activities if the perpetrators are known to them,” she said.
“Some people also buy and keep stolen items. This creates markets for thieves and makes it difficult to eradicate petty theft. It is infuriating as the stolen items are sold at a fraction of the replacement cost.
“Another challenge is people being unwilling to open charges. As a result, repeat offenders are walking the streets and the police and CPFs are condemned for not curbing known crimes,” she said.
“To deal with the challenges, we try to educate people that they must open cases to enable the police to act on the information. We also try to advise them to anonymously report known activities and criminals.
“Our most valuable interventions are the neighbourhood watches and street patrols, and reporting criminal activities via community chat groups. We try to ensure that all structures contributing to community safety and crime prevention are involved in combating social crime through a holistic approach,” said Wilkin.
The CPF covers:
– Sector 1: Dawncrest, Brindhaven,Everest Heights, Redcliffe and Oaklands.
– Sector 2: Ottawa, Riyadh, Temple Valley, Lotusville, Cornubia, Waterloo and Cornerstone.
– Sector 3: Mountview, Trenance Park new phase, old phase and phase as well as Parkgate.
– Sector 4: Canelands and Cottonlands.
Email: [email protected]
TONGAAT
The Tongaat CPF started in 1995. It was initiated by the SAPS to protect communities.
Nazir Sadack, 50, of Seatides, was elected chairperson last April and will remain in the post until 2027. The deputy chairperson is Suresh Ramsahai.
“I the joined CPF to create a safer place for us and future generations. One needs to get involved. Patrol your area and become the eyes and ears of the police. While doing this, you will realise that the Tongaat SAPS has serious constraints that prevent them from helping. The problem comes from higher up and not within,” said Sadack.
The CPF covers all the Tongaat policing areas. It starts at the R102 at the King Shaka International Airport into Tongaat south, north and central areas such as Buffelsdale, Flamingo Heights, Watsonia, Gandhi's Hill, Emona, Venrova, Fairbreeze and Esenembe.
It also covers the coastal areas from the Tongaat river mouth to the La Mercy river mouth, which comprise Seatides, Westbrook and La Mercy.
Sadack said: “The CPF is broken down into four sectors. That is the north, south, central and coastal sectors. Each sector has a committee with a chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary and treasurer. There are also three co-ops – people elected by the executive committee to carry out various roles in each sector. They report to the mother body committee, of which I am the chairperson.
“We are the link between residents and the police. When a resident has an issue and cannot find a solution, they can approach us to assist.”
Sadeck said some of the challenges in the area included a lack of interest by some residents in reporting incidents or getting involved with the CPF.
“Then there are problems regarding drugs, prostitution, domestic violence and gender-based violence. Although we are lucky we do not have many hijackings and house robberies, these do become problematic over the festive period. Drugs are, however, our biggest concern, especially with teenagers.”
He said the government did not provide funding and the CPF relied on sponsorships.
Contact Sadack at 063 050 8721 and Ramsahai at 061 504 0839.
ISIPINGO
The Isipingo CPF was formed in 2000 to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the police in the area.
Today, members of the forum work alongside the police and the community to eradicate crime and create a safer environment for residents.
Aidan David, the chairperson of the CPF, said the forum was started by Satish Chinna and the late Johnny Kamal.
David, 53, a businessman, served as chairperson from 2016 to 2021. He was re-elected during its annual general meeting last March. Yaseen Khan was elected deputy chairperson.
The CPF covers Isipingo, Isipingo Beach, Isipingo Rail, Lotus Park, Orient Park and surrounding areas.
“Seven years ago, Satish invited me to a CPF meeting. He told me the CPF was formed to hold the police accountable for policing in the area. It sparked my interest, so I attended. Little did I know, the meeting was an AGM. While listening to the agenda, I found that there were some irregularities in the way the CPF was being run. I then began to question the members about it.
“When the time came for re-electing a chairman, a resident nominated me and I was elected into the position.”
David said in the community, crime and substance abuse were problems.
“Hijackings, house robberies, sometimes killings, as well as petty crimes like the theft of copper pipes and clothing from washing lines are also problems. When I took on the position, my team and I introduced the concept of street patrollers. This entailed encouraging residents, young and old, men and women, to join the patrols and monitor their streets for crime,” he said.
“If a crime is happening, the street patrollers will report it to us and we call the police. We also go to the scene to assist. From the street patrols, members formed neighbourhood watches. Now with technology, we have WhatsApp crime groups to monitor the areas.”
David said patrols were held every night.
“We currently have more than 50 patrollers. They are all volunteers and comprise men and women.”
He added: “Our main challenge is that we are not funded by the government.”
He said the CPF also worked to educate the community.
“We have awareness drives on gender-based violence and substance abuse. We also try to empower youth through motivational talks.”
David is also the chairperson of the eThekwini Outer South Cluster.
“When I was appointed chairman for Isipingo, I automatically became a member of the cluster. Again, I was nominated chairman. Here we are in charge of areas like Umkomaas, uMlazi, Umbumbulu and Amanzimtoti.
“I have a passion to help those in need, and the CPF helps me fulfil that passion.”
David can be contacted at 067 022 2502 and Khan at 084 307 1307.
MAYVILLE
Imtiaz Syed wears many hats. He is the chairperson of the Mayville community police forum (CPF), the president of the Active Citizens Coalition political party and a PR councillor.
He has been the chairperson of the Mayville CPF since 2016.
“In 1994, CPFs became required structures of government as per the Constitution. They have always existed and it is the mandate of every station commander to establish a CPF structure in terms of a forum as well as an executive committee.”
Syed said the areas covered by the CPF comprised Mayville, Cato Manor and parts of Overport.
“Every person that resides within a station area is part of the forum for that station. The executive committee comprises elected persons from the forum to cover the duties of chairperson, deputy chair, secretary, deputy secretary, treasurer, a public relations officer and three additional members
“A CPF, at the executive level, meets the police station management monthly, at least, to discuss issues of crime and strategies around policing those crimes.
“At forum level, it is meant to mobilise the community through its executive to speak to socio-economic issues that cause crimes.
“This includes having outreach programmes, neighbourhood watches, timeous delivery of services by SAPS, and youth development. It also includes gender-based violence programmes, trauma assistance if capacity is available, and creating a general sense of community safety dependent on the demographic and landscape of the area.”
He said the CPF dealt with a number of issues.
“Communities face business robberies, hijackings and robberies of persons such as smash-and-grabs. We have a channel to report these crimes and first responders, including ambulances and tow trucks, are all ears when something happens.
“Patrolling is on a needs basis. Many areas have patrollers. However, we have now inculcated an attitude of always being vigilant as we have technology to support the climate,” Syed said.
Syed can be contacted via WhatsApp at 082 694 6072.
ASHERVILLE, SPRINGTOWN
Knowing that he is making a difference by fighting crime is what spurs Imran Vorajee to keep going.
Vorajee, 43, was elected the chairperson of the Asherville CPF last year. He was previously the deputy chairperson and a member of the CPF for 10 years. Kody Chetty is the deputy chairperson.
“The community has always been close to my heart and ridding the area of crime has always been a priority for me,” said Vorajee.
Apart from patrolling Asherville and Springtown, he runs a clothing business.
“Trying to balance all my responsibilities is not easy, and to leave your family at night and risk your life is a challenge. However, I remind myself that others may need help and this is what connects us to one another. We are the eyes and ears of the police in our community.
“Our duties include responding to incidents of crime and helping where we can, even if it means transporting the injured to the hospital or standing off with a suspect until the police arrive.”
Vorajee said the CPF, which had 20 patrollers, was restricted in some ways.
“There is the citizen's arrest which we do but we are not allowed to formally arrest people. We are also not allowed to stop and search people or carry weapons.
“We work closely with security companies in the area that assist in apprehending suspects. While we cover Asherville and Springtown, we sometimes overlap into Overport and surrounding areas like Morningside.”
He said drugs were a problem which attracted vagrants and crime.
“Petty crime, hijackings and housebreak-ins are also a challenge.”
Vorajee said the CPF was working on installing cameras at intersections to monitor suspicious vehicles and people.
They also have a new WhatsApp group which includes crime activists from the street groups in the area.
“We have combined everyone on one platform and have more than 1 000 members. We find people networking easier. Everyone knows what is going on. For example, if a suspect is running from one road to the next, jumping between yards, we are able to react quicker. Over the past three weeks, we have already had about five success stories.”
To join the WhatsApp group, email your name and number to [email protected].
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