Police Oversight and Community Safety
With regard to his press statement on 4 August 2022 titled “100 days as Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety” in which he said: “I am however concerned that there are various areas where NHWs have either been depleted or they no longer exist. Klawer, in the Matzikama municipal area, Calitzdorp and Ladismith, in the Kannaland municipal area, are places, to name but a few, where NHWs have been depleted. Officials in the Department are in the process of addressing the matter.”:
- In which areas of the province does neighbourhood watches (NHWs) (i) not exist or (ii) are depleted or (iii) no longer exist, (b)what are the (i) details of these areas, (ii) reasons why NHWs do not exist or are depleted and (c) plans to establish NHWs in these areas?
7. (a) (i) Currently, there are no accredited Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) structures in the following Policing areas:
- City of Cape Town District:
- Camps Bay;
- Sea Point;
- Ravensmead;
- Simonstown, and
- Table Bay Harbour.
- West Coast District:
- Citrusdal;
- Clanwilliam;
- Graafwater;
- Eendekuil;
- Moorreesburg;
- Klawer;
- Nuwerus;
- Riebeeck Kasteel;
- Vredendal, and
- Van Rhynsdorp.
- Cape Winelands District:
- McGregor;
- Prins Alfred Hamlet;
- Ashton, and
- Saron.
- Overberg District:
- Suurbraak.
- Central Karoo District:
- Laingsburg;
- LeeuGamka, and
- Murraysburg.
(ii) It should be noted that accreditation is valid for a two-year period, after which the structure must re-apply for renewal. When the accreditation of NHW structures expire, the Department sends out a reminder for these structures to re-apply or renew their accreditation, however, the onus is on the each NHW structure as a voluntary applicant, to apply. The Department cannot force NHW structures to apply for accreditation. The following structures did not renew their accreditation and are therefore depleted:
- City of Cape Town District:
- Hout Bay and Melkbosstrand.
- West Coast District:
- Doring Bay;
- Elands Bay;
- Hopefield, and
- Lutzville.
- Cape Winelands District:
- Saron and Robertson.
- Garden Route District:
- Albertinia;
- De Rust;
- Ladismith;
- Riversdale, and
- Thembalethu.
- Overberg District:
- Swellendam, and
- Villiersdorp.
(iii) NHW structures that have expired and have not renewed their accreditation with the Department, are considered to no longer exist as accredited NHW structures. Therefore, the NHW structures in the following policing areas may be regarded as no longer existing as accredited NHW structures:
- City of Cape Town District:
- Hout Bay and Melkbosstrand.
- West Coast District:
- Doring Bay;
- Elands Bay;
- Hopefield, and
- Lutzville.
- Cape Winelands District:
- Saron and Robertson.
- Garden Route District:
- Albertinia;
- De Rust;
- Ladismith;
- Riversdale, and
- Thembalethu.
- Overberg District:
- Swellendam, and
- Villiersdorp.
(b) (i) As indicated in (a) (ii).
(ii) NHWs become non-existing as accredited structures and/or depleted due to:
-
- membership attrition;
- loss of interest and
- non-functionality.
It is noted that membership of a NHW is voluntary; similarly, applying for accreditation to the Department, is voluntary.
(c) The Department engages the different policing districts on a quarterly basis and works closely with the local SAPS and the Community Police Forums (CPFs) to encourage and support the applications for accreditation. To make the accreditation more accessible for anyone to apply, the Department has established an online application system.
Furthermore, the support provided to accredited structures also attracts more interest by communities to become accredited. Considering the increase in the number of applications processed year on year, it seems that this model is effective in inspiring NHWs to apply for accreditation.
The Minister further continues to engage councillors and constituency heads to actively get involved in their arears where they are deployed and/or elected.
