Neighbourhood watches were honoured for their courage and crime prevention efforts at the City’s annual Neighbourhood Watch Awards.
The nomination process, which started in August and closed on 6 October, afforded communities an opportunity to acknowledge work done by watches in their areas.
Speaking at the award ceremony that was held at the council chamber last week, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said neighbourhood watches demonstrated the highest ideal of active citizenry.
“The City is deeply appreciative of the community service spirit and volunteerism of every neighbourhood watch member across Cape Town.
“In a caring society, we look out for each other and the bond of trust that these groups build with their respective communities is incredibly valuable.”
Award winners included Nicole Lynn Jacobus from Carola Neighbourhood Watch in Grassy Park who walked away with the individual Courage in Action award.
Jacobus said it was an honour to receive the award. “I believe when you serve it must echo into eternity.
“We as volunteers don’t always get a thank you, many times we are criticized and sworn at.”
She added that giving back was something she learnt from an early age.
“Giving back was instilled in me as my parents were both involved with community work since 1992, if not longer.
“It feels good to give back when the intentions are pure and at the same time you have been skilled with knowledge.”
Others recognised for their work included the Ottery Safety Patrol that walked away with the group category award Courage in Action.
The Inspiration of the Year individual award went to Stanford Grass from Stephen Road Neighbourhood Watch in Grassy Park.
Grass tells People’s Post that the award was completely unexpected.
“At the beginning of the year we received an award for the neighbourhood watch itself.
“But the individual award was unexpected for me being only one year in the neighbourhood watch, it is a real achievement.”
Grass further added that police have been doing their best to help the community, but at times it was simply not enough.
“They (police) are under-resourced but with the neighbourhood watch the crime rate has settled down.
“This is because when we work together we have the numbers and work together well to do the best we can to help our communities.”
New Horizon Neighbourhood Watch from Pelican Park walked away with two awards: the Situational Crime Prevention Award as well as the Social Responsibility Award “in recognition of exceptional efforts towards a clean, healthy and safe environment.”
Saadiqah Ganief, treasurer at New Horizon Neighbourhood Watch, says it is pure passion to do volunteer work.
“We, as the neighbourhood watch, feel honoured and humble at the same time.
“It is hard work, selfless hours and a pure passion to be consistent in volunteer work.
“We firstly thank the almighty for this achievement.
“To be recognised after facing numerous challenges – for instance at times in public places neighbourhood watches are ridiculed, which isn’t fair, but we push through because irrespective of the negative there is always the positive.”
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith thanked every patroller who gave up their spare time to make communities a safer place.
“Neighbourhood watch patrollers are also ambassadors and fulfil an important interface role between communities and the City of Cape Town.
“We would like to say thank you to each and every patroller who gave up their spare time to make communities a safer place.
“I hope these awards will be a motivation to other communities to also establish their own watch groups so that we can all do more to serve and to protect our residents.”
