West Rand olice stations begin crime-awareness campaign in Muldersdrift
Police officers handed out pamphlets to Muldersdrift residents to raise awareness after a recent spike in house robberies
Muldersdrift Police officers kicked of a campaign on 28 April to raise awareness about house robberies and gender-based violence in and around the community.
Thirteen police stations in the West Rand District, the Department of Community Safety, the Health Department, GBV Brigade and the WAWA Victim Empowerment Unit, among other, were involved in the campaign.
Officers from different units handed out pamphlets covering a wide range of issues, such house robberies which have become rife on many secluded plots in Muldersdrift; abduction and kidnapping; gender-based violence; and domestic abuse. The officers also spoke with several residents about criminal issues that were pertinent to them.
Sergeant Mulalo Ndou from Muldersdrift Police said there had been 14 house robberies in the area, which made it a crime hotspot. “The pamphlets we are handing out also include numbers people can add on their WhatsApp to make reporting crime easier. Previously we requested community members to form a group so that they could get to know each other,” he said. He added that groups can be a great way to raise further concern or warn other people of any suspicious activity.
Simon Nworie who lives in Muldersdrift said the situation in the area was terrible as house robberies were so frequent and he did not know what to do. The officers encouraged him to report the break-ins at the police station and add the contact details on WhatsApp. Nworie said he had already reported a housebreaking to the police. Ndou said what often made the area so vulnerable was that it is not well-lit and criminals can easily conceal themselves.
A lot of the workers in the plot areas are undocumented foreigners and their illegal status often makes it difficult to report criminal activity. Vincent Shoroma, a social worker at WAWA’s victim empowerment unit said foreigners usually don’t report crimes as they are afraid to do so. “When we do campaigns like these, they always hide because they are afraid we are going to arrest them, but we are trying to educate and create awareness; we also provide counselling,” he said.
The operation was a great opportunity for many residents to ask questions and get clarity on which police stations they need to call when reporting crimes. House and business robberies, and housebreakings in Muldersdrift often occur between 6pm and 4am.
Contac number: 011 952 4600/ 4642/ 46
