KZN plan to employ 'crime prevention volunteers' get mixed response

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Durban - A DEPARTMENT of Community Safety and Liaison initiative to employ social crime prevention volunteers in 13 districts in KwaZulu-Natal was met with mixed reaction from local community police forums (CPFs). According to the department’s newspaper advert, the department-run Volunteer Social Crime Prevention Programme (VSCPP) sought to engage communities in social crime prevention and implement social crime reduction methodologies in KwaZulu-Natal. These volunteers would be expected to mobilise communities on a day-to-day basis by facilitating socialised crime priorities. They would also be earning a stipend. Criteria for these volunteers were that they be unemployed, between the ages of 18 and 35, have no criminal record, be active in crime-fighting, and with at least a Grade 10. Durban North CPF’s Hayden Searles said while the initiative was good, especially as it would address unemployment, there needed to be more than one volunteer per district. “Districts have vast precincts, the precincts themselves are also vast. It’s a good initiative that will particularly benefit the INK (Inanda,Ntuzuma and KwaMashu) areas,” he said.

Recent crime statistics showed Inanda was among the 30 police stations in the country with the highest numbers of sexual offences reported.

Phoenix CPF chairperson Umesh Singh applauded the initiative and said it would work well and compliment the department initiative Community In Blue.

“Street committees are used as volunteers in this programme, the department will provide uniforms and ensure they are registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority,” he said.

However, Chatsworth CPF chairperson Jakes Singh said volunteers for the Community In Blue would not be getting a stipend while those of the VSCPP would.

Spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said in the 2019/20 financial year, the department employed 223 volunteers attached to different wards, and their scope of work included facilitating engagements between the community and law enforcement agencies.

“An incentive grant is allocated to each government department to create work opportunities for the unemployed. While the VSCPP contract is set for two years, there’s an underlying principle of the Expanded Public Works Programme, which is ensuring that the programme does not only provide experiential learning but is able to prepare the youth for economic development through preparing them for employability or to be the creators of employment opportunities,” she said.

Sisilana said under the guidance and mentorship of department officials, the volunteers would focus on cross-border crime prevention projects, stock theft, victim empowerment projects and data capturing.

Daily News