As we enter the 20th week of a protracted, confusing and frustrating state-imposed lockdown, many may be exhausted by the constant bombardment of information surrounding the coronavirus.
Fear-mongering, counter-arguments and conspiracy theories have been rife and have added much emotional stress and anger to an already fractured society. Spreading misinformation about crime can have equally dire consequences by fuelling paranoia within our homes, which is why we aim to ensure that every piece of information we publish is verified by authoritative sources and stands up to intense scrutiny.
As a community publication, our focus is the people of Roodepoort and the greater West Rand. Informing you about the happenings of your suburb is our bread and butter, and we take great pride in having the privilege to do so.
The uglier side of events in the community is, sadly, the high volumes of crime in our suburbs. Even though they put in every effort to assist, police resources are incredibly stretched and have also been subject to a more clustered dissemination of information. We act on every tip-off and report of incidents of crime, but when inquiring with the police, these descriptions often match several cases of reported crimes.
In an ideal world, one would be able to go to the charge office and inquire in person but that is against stipulated channels of communication. The one piece of information that is worth its weight in gold is the case number relevant to that incident, and ensuring that the public is aware of the criminal elements lurking in our suburbs starts with these case numbers.
We are urging any member of the public who has been a victim of crime to please share their case numbers with us so we can actively monitor the police’s response to these crimes. As your local media publication, we are committed to playing our part in fighting crime by exposing those who commit offences against our neighbours, and promoting those who take pride in protecting our streets and suburbs.
The past several months have been the strangest that many in the community may have lived through. The destruction left behind by the government’s response to the pandemic will limit the opportunities and livelihoods of many who were already struggling.
An increase in crime will inevitably follow and we hope that you trust in us to highlight the criminal activity, success and shortcomings in our community.
