Residents of Ward 81 were urged to become more involved in shaping their community rather than waiting for others to solve local challenges during a residents’ town hall meeting held at Siphesihle Community Hall in Lyndhurst on June 20.

The meeting brought together residents and community leaders to discuss crime concerns, illegal activity, community involvement, and ways to strengthen local participation through Community Policing Forum (CPF) structures. A recurring concern throughout the meeting was low resident attendance despite frequent complaints about issues affecting the area.

Read more: CPF asks community to report crimes as they happen

Addressing attendees, Ward 81 leader Henri Otou said community progress depends on residents becoming active participants instead of remaining observers. “I am disappointed because so few people actually turned up, but there’s always somebody to complain and then call out the leaders when they feel nothing is being done.”
He added that community leaders remain available to residents but cannot effectively respond to issues without public involvement. “We are there all the time, but the people who complain the most are often not in the meetings. That has to change.”

Otou encouraged residents to report concerns through the appropriate channels and work collectively to address challenges affecting neighbourhood safety and quality of life. “We cannot continue to keep quiet. If you notice something, speak up. Even if you do not want to get directly involved, contact the leaders privately and let us escalate the matter. The police cannot be everywhere. We need residents to become the eyes and ears of the community.”

Also read: Sandton CPF urges residents to report crime as integrated policing network shows results

He said meaningful change would require residents to move beyond criticism and participate in initiatives aimed at improving conditions in the ward. “We cannot sit behind our gates, go to work, and come home and expect things to change. We need people to become involved, whether through reporting issues, supporting initiatives, or attending meetings.”

Residents attending the meeting also suggested practical ways to increase participation, including introducing online meetings, maintaining consistent meeting schedules, and improving communication across neighbourhood networks. One attendee proposed that future engagement opportunities should include virtual access to allow more residents to participate.
The meeting concluded with a call for residents to invite neighbours, attend future engagements, and take greater ownership of community issues. “The future depends on what we do in the present,” Otou reminded residents.

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