A pilot project to ensure the safety of neighbourhood watch patrollers was launched on Wednesday 21 June, with bullet proof vests in Hillview.
The equipment included bicycles, a medical-aid kit, torches, radios and reflective vests.
Ward 45 councillor Mandy Marr says members of the Hillview Guardian Neighbourhood Watch often find themselves in the crossfire and that prompted the decision to get bullet proof vests.
“(This was) a request from the neighhourhood watch in Hillview because the area is quite volatile. We’ve had one patroller stabbed and quite often they are caught in the crossfire, so we made the decision to allocate bullet proof vests from my ward budget allocation.”
She added that police were initially reluctant to have a neighbourhood watch in the area because of the reported violence.
“This is a pilot project, so we will see how it goes and we are doing the trial period in Hillview because of the violence.”
Ashwin Abrahams, vice-chair of the Hillview Guardians Neighbourhood Watch, says the watch, which was established in September 2021, has 12 members, of which four are women.
“We have been very busy in the community, and we try our best to keep it safe for the children, especially in the mornings when they walk to school and the community when they leave for work. People are being robbed in the mornings and evenings and there have been many break-ins.
“There are two different gangs in three sections of Hillview.
“We have the Funkies and Flakka Boys fighting for territory and we are on the border of their territories. There are times that I am fearful when patrolling but I have to keep the fear at the back of my mind because we are here to make the community feel safer.”
Abrahams further explained that youth turned to gangs due to lack of role models.
“Sometimes we talk to the youngsters who are part of the gangs, and we started this neighbourhood watch so that youth have role models to look up to.
“In our community, there are no youth development programmes, we are looking to do that now.”
“I live in Hillview and have a day job, so I only patrol in the evening at around 18:00. We have a group that patrols in the mornings. There are times we patrol during power outages and Fridays we patrol mostly until 10:00 and sometimes randomly.
JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, says Hillview is an area “plagued by drug activity and gun violence” brought about through turf battles by gangs.
“Over the last 30 days alone, more than 40 rounds have been fired over 23 shooting incidents within the area.
“After having to navigate several complex legal and legislative processes, in what is to be a trial pilot project, five ballistic protective armour vests have now been allocated to the Hillview Guardians. Additional equipment including two-way radios, reflective jackets, high-powered LED torches and other items was handed over.”
Smith explained that there is an increasing trend in violent crime.
“Cape Town has managed to consistently record a reduction in several of these crime categories, even in some of the worse affected police precincts.
“While these may be the combined result of several other interventions including the LEAP deployment and the ShotSpotter technology, the positive impact of active neighbourhood watches can never be emphasised enough.”
