Building bridges this festive season
Lots of smiles and laughter as children celebrate Christmas with the Germiston police.
The sound of children’s laughter filled the corridors of the Germiston Police Station, last Tuesday.
Germiston SAPS officers and members of the Germiston SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre held a fun-filled, festive Christmas party for 150 underprivileged children from Good Hope informal settlement, Driehoek and Dukathole Extensions Five and Nine.
Guests were treated to breakfast, lunch, a selection of snacks and sweets and lots of different fun activities, including a selection of jumping castles sponsored by local company Johnson Matthey.
The day was not only about fun but also included gifts for the children, who were aged between five and 14 years old, as part of a shoebox project.
The boxes included a selection of goodies like stationery, toiletries, sweets and a special gift.
Const Queen Sibeko (Germiston SAPS Social Crime Prevention Unit) explained how the children were selected.
“The children, who are either orphans or come from disadvantaged backgrounds, were identified by the teachers at their schools or the community leaders within their different communities,” she said.
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This is the third year the station has hosted the event, which was initiated by Germiston SAPS station commander Brig Nkhensani Lemba.
“For some of these children this is the only present they will receive this Christmas, while for others it is the first Christmas they have ever received something,” Lemba said.
“Our hope with this project is that we can reach out to the children when they are still young to build a firm relationship between them and the police and change their thinking about crime.
“We hope this will prevent them from turning to a life of crime in the future.”
Lemba further stated it was important for police to be involved in the community and to do things for the community they serve.
“Many community members believe the police are only there to arrest them.
“By reaching out to the community and helping them we hope they will see us in a different light and, in turn, reach out to us and be our eyes and ears and inform us about crime,” said Lemba.
The day’s sponsors – Johnson Matthey, Malco, Germiston SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre, Germiston CPF, Bertha Gxowa Hospital Care Centre and the Department of Community Safety – were thanked for their role in the project.
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