Residents cry over break-ins but stay away from crime meeting
The poor turnout has sparked questions over whether residents are prepared to play their part in fighting crime after demanding action from authorities.
Residents of Lenasia Extension 6, who raised the alarm over a spate of alleged house break-ins and poor response from law enforcement, have come under scrutiny after failing to attend a crime meeting organised in response to their complaints.
The issue was first brought to the attention of the Lenasia Rising Sun by frustrated residents, who alleged that break-ins had become a regular occurrence in the area. They claimed that despite repeated reports of incidents, police response times were slow, and that the Community Policing Forum (CPF) was nowhere to be seen when residents needed assistance.
Following the publication’s engagement with the Lenasia CPF for accountability regarding the allegations, the CPF, together with the Lenasia SAPS Task Team, arranged a community meeting at Saaberie Chisty Hall on Tuesday evening, July 21, to address residents’ concerns and present plans to tackle crime in Extension 6.
ALSO READ: Community rallies behind crime-fighting efforts in Newlands East
But when the meeting got underway, the hall was virtually empty.
Despite invitations circulated across community WhatsApp groups and other platforms by CPF members, only three residents from an area comprising approximately hundreds of households attended the meeting.
The poor turnout has sparked questions over whether residents are prepared to play their part in fighting crime after demanding action from authorities.
The CPF explained that one of its core responsibilities is to build partnerships between the police and the community, encourage residents to participate in crime prevention initiatives, improve communication with SAPS, identify local policing concerns and mobilise volunteers to support safer neighbourhoods. The forum stressed that it cannot replace the police, but relies on active community involvement to succeed.
According to the CPF, the meeting was intended to introduce CPF members and the SAPS Task Team, present crime statistics for Sector 2, discuss the recruitment of community patrollers in Extension 6, introduce the partnerships with local security companies in Lenasia, and explore a community camera initiative to improve surveillance.
The forum also planned to encourage young people to join the CPF Youth Desk and share its long-term vision for the Victim Empowerment Centre (VEC), which supports survivors of abuse. The CPF hopes to eventually secure a temporary shelter for abused women while continuing with community outreach programmes.
CPF representatives also revealed that after analysing crime trends in the area, CPF patrollers and the SAPS Task Team conducted intensive patrols in Extension 6 for approximately two weeks. Patrols ran from around 11pm until between 3am and 4am. According to the forum, the increased visibility resulted in a noticeable decline in reported crime during that period.
However, CPF members said meaningful crime-fighting efforts become difficult when the very residents calling for intervention fail to engage.
With only three residents present, discussions on recruiting local patrollers and identifying volunteers from the community could not meaningfully proceed.
ALSO READ: KZN premier rallies stakeholders at Council Against Crime Meeting
Rather than abandoning the initiative, the CPF resolved to give residents another opportunity.
The three attendees were requested to relay a message to the broader community to identify a more suitable date and time for another meeting in the hope that more residents will participate.
The empty chairs served as a stark reminder that while crime remains a growing concern, lasting solutions require more than complaints. They demand community participation.
