'Public must help fight crime'

2006-08-01 08:50

Johannesburg - The public must participate in crime prevention as the police alone cannot reduce the crime rate, the secretariat for safety and security said on Monday.

The public must become active members of community policing forums - set up across the country to ensure that communities performed their part in preventing and combating crime - said the director for monetary evaluation at the secretariat, Meshack Mogatusi.

"People must attend forum meetings, they should be part of problem solving and should condemn criminal activities," said Mogatusi.

"People should bring information voluntarily to the police without first saying that they cannot provide information."

The decision to encourage people to become more involved in the forums was taken at a meeting between provincial safety and security secretaries and the police in Pretoria on Monday.

The meeting specifically focused on the mobilisation of members of the public in crime prevention activities.

Public participation in crime prevention is part of the six-month plan announced by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula earlier this month to combat crime.

Mogatusi said follow-up meetings would be held to assess the progress of the forums in each province.

- SAPA