The Merebank Zone 2 – Crime Prevention Group (CPG) and security company, Alpha Alarms, were on high alert last week to protect the residents of Merebank, south of Durban, amidst fears of the possibility of another unrest occurring over the Black Friday weekend, fortunately the rumours did not materialise and there were no signs of violence or interruptions reported over the busy weekend.
Shamlin Govender, Chairperson of the CPG and member of Merewent Community Policing Forum (CPF), said: “July 2021 was a turbulent month for many people in KZN who had to suffer the consequences of the unrest. This resulted in food shortages, unemployment, limited access to healthcare facilities, closure of businesses which in turn caused South Africa’s economy to lose billions in revenue.”
Just four months after KZN experienced one of the worst acts of violence and destruction, the CPG was not going to leave its residents and shops vulnerable again and immediately put contingency plans in place in order to protect their community. The CPG initiated an emergency meeting with local security company, Alpha Alarms, and members of the CPF to identify key areas that needed to be monitored frequently and had also extended the hours of patrol shifts in order to maintain constant visibility.
Govender said: “CPG was initially formed on 12 July 2021 at Daspur Place Bridge by residents of Junagarth Road, Alwar Road, Surada Place and surrounding roads to protect our community during the unrest. Our members soon realised the formation of the group was a success and could deter crime daily. The CPG is affiliated to SAPS Wentworth which enables members to be educated on community policing and basic knowledge of the law.”
The operational functions of the group include being the eyes and ears of the SAPS, performing patrol duties which serve as a crime deterrent, rendering a voluntary service, reporting crime to the SAPS and Alpha Alarms, therefore creating crime prevention awareness amongst members of the community in the respective zones. “The main objective of the CPG is to prevent the occurrence of crime in our zone and facilitate a partnership between the community, SAPS and Alpha Alarms,” added Govender.
Govender highlighted that Merebank has a number of existing challenges, and it has become increasingly difficult to keep abreast of all the things that impact the community, especially with regards to the high levels of crime in the area. “We understand some of the causes of crime are deep rooted and are related to the socio-economic realities of society. Crime data has recently shown that there is a correlation between crime and easing of lockdown levels,” said Govender.
According to Govender, they attribute the rise in crime statistics to the easing of lockdown restrictions which makes it easier for criminals to conduct their criminal activities. “The festive season presents a golden opportunity for criminals as they are aware of the fact that residents will be out shopping or away on holiday, however, the CPG will have more patrollers on standby including additional resources from Alpha Alarms during the festive season,” said Govender.
Meanwhile, in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence (GBV), the CPG has encouraged members and residents to support this initiative by wearing an orange ribbon. “It remains our responsibility to eradicate any form of abuse by creating awareness and empowering our community to report abuse. GBV is an ongoing challenge in many communities, it is our responsibility to create awareness and help break the silence of victims who have succumbed to abuse,” added Govender.
