Bramley and Organic Market residents demand promised police presence
Community members in Bramley and Organic Market say they are still waiting for stronger Sandringham police visibility, five months after initially raising concerns over local crime.
Bramley and Organic Market residents held a community safety meeting with the Sandringham SAPS and Sandringham CPF Sector 1 to raise concerns over growing crime and limited police visibility in the area.
The meeting, held on September 17, built on discussions from a community meeting held on April 21, 2026, when residents called for greater police visibility and regular patrols. Residents said that despite commitments made at the time, they had not seen the police presence they were promised.
Theo Lengwati, the Bramley View Residents Association president and community activist, said concerns extended beyond visible policing.
He said that activities such as illegal gambling, informal car washes, alcohol and marijuana use, loud music and late-night street soccer created environments where crime easily takes root.
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“Let’s rather prevent these things before they become actual big crimes,” Lengwati said. “I really don’t blame the youth for being involved in such activities because unfortunately they don’t have recreational and development centres. They are unemployed.”
He wants future engagements to include young people so they can help shape solutions to the problems affecting them.
Youth safety and police friction
Captain Ben Mbongwane, the Sandringham SAPS operational commander, acknowledged the breakdown in trust.
Mbongwane said officers previously faced resistance during operations, including incidents where police vehicles were stoned.
He said this had created concerns among officers about entering certain areas, but stressed that SAPS could not withdraw from communities it was responsible for policing.
He urged residents to engage with officers when they did not understand an operation rather than resorting to violence, adding that the community must look after police resources.
Mbongwane said police could not address illegal gambling and youth concerns alone, emphasising the need for joint action with the community.
He also pointed to the SAPS youth crime prevention desk, which could provide an opportunity for young people to participate in programmes aimed at preventing crime.
Despite the tensions, Mbongwane described the meeting as an important step towards repairing the relationship. “I think we have broken the ice,” Mbongwane said.
He added that he wanted officers and residents to develop a relationship where police could easily access the community, and residents could approach them for help.
Restoring confidence in visibility
Organic Market community leader Sanele Kanye said the engagement had given residents renewed hope.
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“There is a little bit of hope, because the community has actually outlined it to the captain who was a representative here about their concerns, and we did have a promise that SAPS will attend to those concerns,” Kanye said.
“We also want the visibility. That is the main concern that we had, the visibility of SAPS in our areas.”
Mbongwane acknowledged the demand for increased police presence, attributing patrolling difficulties to limited resources and area growth.
“We have been patrolling the area. It’s just that patrols won’t be frequent because the area has grown and we have one vehicle policing the area, which is our crime prevention vehicle. I will continue to encourage officers to increase their visibility because the community is clearly complaining that they don’t see us. We must be visible. They must see us.”
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