VIPs attend Alberton crime summit
The purpose of the meeting was to identify the causes of crime in and around Ward 37.
ON Saturday morning, July 29, a crime summit meeting was held at the Alberton Council Chamber to identify and address causes of crime in and around Alberton, Ward 37.
The meeting was presented together by SAPS and EMPD members, Jean Ingram of Ward 37 Community Safety, councillors Tiaan Kotzé, Nathi Mthetwa and Vivian Chauke (who is also a member of the Mayoral Committee of Ekurhuleni), Themba Godi, chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) and Richard Pillay, the programme director of the event.
All interested members of the public were welcome to attend. According to Jean Ingram, this was to be the first of many similar meetings with regard to crime in Ward 37.
The purpose of the meeting was to identify the causes of crime in and around Ward 37, who in government and other legislative bodies are responsible for assisting law enforcement agencies to prevent and fight crime; to work with all honest law enforcement agencies to prevent and fight crime; to communicate with all law-abiding residents; and to listen to all complaints and take the most appropriate action to address them.
Attendees of the meeting split up into four groups, where each group discussed three topics with their own series of questions:
- The first group discussed the causes of crime, employment projects to reduce and curb crime, as well as the role of SAPS and EMPD to prevent, combat and investigate crime.
- The second group discussed the role of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Ward 37, the role of businesses in crime prevention, as well as specific crimes (such as house break-ins, rape, murder and related crimes).
- The third group discussed human trafficking and related crimes; drugs, prostitution and the abuse of women, as well as illegal immigrants and related crimes.
- The fourth group discussed the training of community members in crime-fighting tactics and strategies, farm attacks, as well as whether the National Prosecuting Authority and the judiciary play any positive role in the prevention and combatting of crime.
Facts and figures:
Many opinions and hard facts were exchanged among attendees – some got big shocks, others learned a lot and most were happy to share their views, opinions and personal experiences with each other.
For instance, Colonel Steven Moodley shared his perspective and knowledge on human trafficking: “Human trafficking relates and is correlated to slavery, prostitution, poverty and drug and organ smuggling for the black market. It can and does happen in every community. It often happens where one least expects it. Often, people are trafficked and sold by those who are closest to them. It is not uncommon for some parents to sell their children into the sex trade, or even husbands to sell their wives as prostitutes for money or drugs. It’s happening in Alberton too, right under everyone’s noses.”
Another example of an interesting opinion came from Clr Vivian Chauke on the topic of domestic workers as a cause of crime: “I think people are reckless when they hire someone they just met on the corner of the street to come and clean their house, because not everyone has good intentions. There are many cases where the worker carefully observes the house and household’s routine for a few weeks, then once they know the house inside-out, they make their strike, usually with a few accomplices when no-one is home. It’s easy to then just disappear with the goods and never return, moving on to the next target – imagine, a few of these house break-ins, and they’ve made millions. It happens every day. We must always be very vigilant and never fully trust anyone, or else we make ourselves vulnerable.”
These discussions made for a pleasant, insightful and interactive learning experience for all – one that is soon to be followed by another.
The RECORD will inform the community of the next crime summit meeting as soon as the details have been established. All will be welcome – the more residents that attend these meetings, the greater Alberton’s chance will be of eradicating crime in its vicinity.
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