Intensified police patrols are helping officers respond to crime across Westdene, Westbury and Coronationville, but residents’ reluctance to report offences remains a major challenge, according to Sophiatown police Sector 1 Warrant Officer Jabulani Mabasa.

Mabasa, who is responsible for the three suburbs, said each area presented different policing challenges, ranging from shootings and firearm-related crime to robberies, burglaries and hijackings. Westbury remains particularly difficult because of shootings, with Mabasa saying police face challenges when residents are unwilling to provide information about those involved.

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In Westdene, Mabasa said contact crimes were a major concern, particularly robberies involving students. The area’s proximity to the University of Johannesburg and the presence of numerous communes have created additional challenges, he said, with students becoming targets for street robberies and the theft of laptops. Mabasa said police responded by increasing their presence in areas experiencing higher levels of crime.

On September 10, Mabasa brought together the crime-prevention team and personnel working at the community service centre to conduct patrols. He said Westdene had recorded about 12 reported crimes during the week prior to the intensified patrols. The following day, he said, only five crimes were reported across the entire Sector 1 area. For Mabasa, the reduction showed the value of visible policing and patrols in crime hotspots. However, he said police could not rely on patrols alone, particularly when crimes are not reported.

Vehicle theft is another concern, with Mabasa warning residents about leaving vehicles parked on streets overnight. He said pamphlets had previously been distributed to residents to address the issue of vehicles being left on streets, where they can become targets for criminals.

Mabasa said one of the biggest challenges facing police is the gap between crimes occurring in communities and those formally reported to the SAPS. He highlighted Coronationville as an example. Residents may discuss crimes on community WhatsApp groups, but those reports do not automatically become part of police crime statistics. Mabasa said direct reporting is important as it allows police to respond to incidents and gives officers a more accurate understanding of crime patterns in their sectors.

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Mabasa holds regular meetings with residents and community structures as part of efforts to improve communication. In Westbury, these include community meetings, patroller meetings and meetings involving blocks of flats, which Mabasa identified as problematic areas because of shootings. He also holds meetings with residents and patrollers in Coronationville, while Westdene remains part of the sector’s ongoing engagement and policing efforts.

For Mabasa, stronger community participation is essential to policing the three suburbs effectively.

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