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W Woensdag, 8 Junie 2016 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | epos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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Prayers for Matrics A special Sunday service was held for the matricu lants at the Kuils River Technical High School recently to help motivate them and ensuring that they have a successful academic year. The service was organised by community worker Dawn Roode. It was also an attempt to assist the school in improving its results and to increase the motivational levels and general commitment among the learners. Here some of the girls listen attentively to one of the guest speakers on the day. Read the full story on page 3. PHOTO: KURT BROOKES
CRIME: GREATER INVOLVEMENT NEEDED
‘Community to blame’ RICHARD ROBERTS @richardjohn_rj
G
reater involvement from residents in any community is needed to help combat crime. This is the view of the newly elected Kuils River Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman, Riedwaan Daniels, who took up the post following the special annual meeting held on Tuesday 31 May. Daniels (53) says residents need to do their part to make their areas safer, instead of sitting on a couch in front of the television. Speaking to TygerBurger at the Kuils River police station on Friday, Daniels says he is excited by the appointment. Daniels, former chair of Sector 3, says the challenges are in many ways similar, but he will now focus on the added responsibility. “Our communities are infested with crime and we all know that we have limited resources with regards to our law enforcement authorities, which is why the CPF was created
– a body made up of community members. “We are affected by crime, but somehow the community is also to blame. We are allowing these criminal elements to infiltrate our community. For instance, we know that we should not put our dirt bins out the day before, and we know we should not donate money to homeless people, an issue currently being addressed by the City of Cape Town and its Give Responsibly campaign,” he says. Daniels adds the City intervenes by offering homeless people assistance, relocation and integration. “But they refuse it because they depend on the empathy of residents.” People should care, but they should do so responsibly, he says. “As long as we continue the way we do, we are creating a market for them to stay on the streets.” He says house break-in and business crime are currently the crimes in the Kuils River he wishes to tackle first. Daniels also encourages people to report
crime happening in their areas. “It is important for everyone to know who to call and when to call. Therefore we have been compiling a contact list which covers all the CPF structures, law enforcement authorities and emergency services such as hospitals and ambulance services, and we will distribute this on the Kuils River Safety Forum’s website.” Daniels, who has been a victim of crime a few times himself, says unless people act – even if only on a basis of anonymity – very little will change as far as crime in the area is concerned. “Every single resident in the community needs to contribute – even if you have not been a victim of crime yourself,” he says. Only vacant executive member posts were filled at the meeting last week, says Kuils River police spokesperson Captain Isaac van Niekerk. These include the position of chair, secretary and vice-chair. V Residents can visit www.kuilsriversafetyforum .co.za for any details about the CPF.
Riedwaan Daniels, the new chairman of the CPF, says Kuils River residents should be more involved fighting crime. PHOTO: RICHARD ROBERTS