Forum meetings to address crime

The forum was created late last year to keep Kensington residents who fall under the Cleveland and Jeppe SAPS precincts informed through one sector meeting instead of two.

The meeting held earlier this month was not well attended.

“The purpose of the monthly meetings is to allow all Kensington residents a chance to liaise directly with SAPS members and to discuss crime-related problems. We are trying to increase community interaction,” said Mr Bill Farquharson, the chairperson.

With the aim of reducing crime and keeping residents informed, the forum is also in the midst of providing important information to residents through its Facebook page, Kensington Crime Forum.

“The page is growing. We are considering SMS bundles to keep the community informed of what is going on around them. We are also looking at other social media platforms to find the best way of communicating with residents,” said Mr Farquharson.

The SAPS and the forum is also trying to find means of addressing areas currently experiencing an increase in crime.

One of their solutions is to introduce street guards to problem areas.

Warrant Officer Marx Crouse, the Cleveland SAPS sector 1 manager, said one of the areas of concern is Derby Road between Nile and Queen streets.

Some community members highlighted the danger of hiring just anyone to be a street guard.

They said all guards should be checked and if they are not registered, this should be addressed.

Sergeant Patrick Tefu, the Jeppe SAPS sector 1 manager, said workshops should be held to teach people the requirements of the job. “We can profile and check their fingerprints to make sure they were not involved in any crimes,” he said.

Mr Farquharson also stressed the need for more street committees and block watch forums. “It is up to us to be aware of what is going on around us. Get involved at street level, start street committees and attend forum meetings,” he said.