Morning rush hour sees thousands of vehicles speeding along London and Vincent Tshabalala roads, which separate Lombardy East and River Park from Alexandra. Intent on reaching their places of work, many motorists nevertheless have time for a wave and a friendly hoot at the men in bright reflective vests who are now a fixture on this arterial route.
For eight months, patrollers from the River Park Community Policing Forum (CPF) have dedicated their early mornings and evenings to ensuring the safety of motorists and pedestrians, gathering to man known smash-and-grab and hijacking hotspots, as well as patrolling taxi ranks to prevent muggings.
Since operations began, the group, which consists of about 30 volunteers from the community (including some women), has seen an extraordinary reduction in crime, with no smash-and-grab or hijacking incidents occurring in its patrol zones.
The initiative’s influence has even spread across the border of Ward 81 to Alexandra, where high crime levels have threatened the viability of the local Gautrain station. Encouraged by River Park CPF sub region chairperson, Johannes Tshotlhang, Alexandra community members have joined the safety initiative, patrolling the region to deter would-be criminals.
Local organisations have shown their appreciation for this achievement, most recently with a donation of high-visibility vests from King Pie. Servest and Budget Insurance, too, have shown support by offering security, fire fighting and first aid training, reflective clothing, torches and radios.
But the patrollers have even higher hopes for their initiative. The group is urging police to demonstrate practical service to the community by backing up volunteers on patrol. The patrollers also encourage other community members to volunteer their time so as to be able to patrol throughout the day and weekends. With more sponsorship, they hope to promote responsible driving and adherence to traffic laws, and even to uplift unemployed youth through skills development.
“We are not saying we have done enough,” said patroller Tello Selepe.
