The Silverton Community Policing Forum (CPF) is requesting the community to become involved to help strengthen patrols.

This after the forum noted a rise in car hijackings and theft out of and of motor vehicles.

The CPF warned that the growing trend in these crimes has become a serious concern for residents and businesses, highlighting the need for stronger police visibility and proactive crime prevention measures.

The Silverton CPF oversees a wide geographical area, including Weavind Park, Silverton, Val de Grace, Silverton Ext 1 and 5, Meyerspark, Murrayfield, La Montagne, Equestria, Nellmapius, as well as the industrial zones of Waltloo and Silvertondale.

These areas are divided into five CPF sectors to better co-ordinate community safety efforts and improve response strategies.

According to the CPF, the size and diversity of the area under its jurisdiction make effective policing challenging, particularly in the face of increasing incidents of vehicle-related crimes.

The forum emphasised that increased patrols, both by law enforcement and community structures, are critical in curbing criminal activity and restoring a sense of safety among residents.

CPF Chairperson Sidney Gordon said it is quite challenging to manage such a diverse area in one CPF.

“What makes it even more challenging is the fact that all participants give their time and efforts on a voluntary basis without any compensation.”

Gordon said it should be noted that residents also have a shared responsibility to reduce crime in the area.

“Ensure that gates and doors are locked and that desirous items are shielded from street views. No items should be visible in parked vehicles, but should be securely locked in the boot.”

He said in the five sectors of the CPF, theft of and out of motor vehicles is now increasing, especially in public spaces such as malls.

“As much as people put their trust in car guards, those people are not registered or even trained to combat crime,” he explained.

Gordon said carjacking is very high in Nellmapius and the public should be extra cautious.

“Most people are generally uninvolved in community matters, which makes the management of a CPF even more challenging,” he said.

“Limited SAPS budgets necessitate the communities to rely heavily on private security companies to do proactive guarding services and also to apprehend suspects in case of crimes committed.”

Gordon said the CPF is experiencing a major challenge with streetlights that are out of order.

“It has been proven that the absence of functional streetlights is conducive to various crimes at night, like housebreaking and theft of electric cables,” he said.

He emphasised that it is thus in the interest of the Tshwane municipality to fix all streetlights as a matter of urgency.

“We urge our residents to support the security companies that are active in our areas. They are excellent in serving the Silverton CPF community and their dedication to assisting in any matter is highly appreciated.”

He said in addition to that, the community members also need to assist with patrolling their areas and keeping an eye on crime and security matters in general.

“It is important to allow SAPS to focus on really high priority crimes like armed robberies, hijackings and gender-based violence, to name a few.”

Gordon said one of the main functions of the partnership between SAPS and the community is the sharing of crime intelligence matters.

“We would like the community to share information with the CPF, which could lead to the arrest of criminals in our areas. The confidentiality of this shared information is guaranteed.”

Each of the five CPF sectors has a SAPS sector manager that co-ordinates operations to manage crime in his or her sector.

Gordon said the aim is to have at least one operation per month in each sector.

He urged residents to be careful and only employ reliable and well-referenced service providers and gardeners, as employing unknown temporary workers from the streets is very risky, as they could target your house for crime in future.

“An attitude of negligence causes unnecessary petty crime cases for an already overburdened and under-resourced SAPS.”

The CPF also co-ordinates the activities of the TMPD in its area to ensure adherence to municipal by-laws, like informal trading licences, noise and traffic control.

“Where human settlement aspects are required, officials of the Department of Home Affairs are also called in. The CPF also appreciates the efforts of the Department of Community Safety for their assistance in managing our diverse community.”

He explained that the CPF have a security video camera project in one of their areas functioning excellently, as it is proactive in its design.

“If suspicious movement is detected or someone left his gate open, the threat is immediately addressed.”

He urged the Silverton police management to arrange community meetings in all the sectors so that residents can meet the station management and relay their concerns directly to them.

He expressed his gratitude to residents who already participate in CPF matters.

“But we need many more volunteers to make the Silverton CPF even more successful. With a more involved community, there is hope for a safer and more enjoyable Silverton community.”

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