Hekpoort police combating crime one kick at a time
The Hekpoort police recently hosted a soccer and netball day at Laerskool Hekpoort as part of their Youth Day celebrations, and as a way to combat crime in their area.
The West Rand Police held a Sports Against Crime event last weekend, to commemorate Youth Day.
“The West Rand District Police continued its Youth Day activities this weekend, shifting the focus to rural communities, particularly that of Hekpoort,” said Constable Gloria Maswanganye, spokesperson for the Hekpoort Police.
She went on to say that Hekpoort is one of four rural police stations within the district that are facing an immense challenge with unemployed youth and that this contributes to the number of crimes committed in the area.
The Hekpoort Police therefore hosted a sports day at Laerskool Hekpoort on 15 June.
Sports team members braced themselves against the cold in a number of soccer and netball matches that started at 9am.
Five teams, the Manhaarand Stars, Trinity FC, Mighty Moholo FC, Barca Boys and Happy Royals, all locked horns on the soccer field while the Black Birds and Arsenal took on each other on the netball field.
It was the Happy Royals and the Black Birds who were victorious on the day, taking home both the trophies and some sports equipment.
Photos: Supplied.
“The initiative aims to promote sports and related activities to prevent crime and to effectively build the resilience of the at-risk youth. Strengthening the life skills of the youth is a key objective in order to minimise the risk factors and maximise the protective factors related to crime, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy,” said Maswanganye.
The Hekpoort Police’s station commander, Captain DL Teffo, thanked everyone for making the day possible and emphasised the importance of having youths that are goal-driven, crime-cautious and willing to cooperate and participate in anything that can lead to the eradication of crime in the area.
