The Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) has honoured the unsung heroes who offer up their time to keep their communities safe.
At a night focused on the neighbourhood watch, street committee members, CPF volunteers and the public, awards were given for bravery, dedication and efforts in seeing an end to the crime scourge in the area.
A total of 250 volunteers were invited to the event on Saturday 25 April.
CPF chairperson Abie Isaacs says the initiative is important to ensure the volunteers feel appreciated. “We wanted these volunteers to come and relax and have a good time. Many of them spend so much time on the streets confronted with crime daily,” he says.
This is the third awards ceremony hosted by the CPF, this one being the first in the CPF’s new five-year term. The forum says it is already coming together to plan the next one set to take place in April next year.
Head of Crimeline Yusuf Abramjee attended the event as keynote speaker.
“Are we free from crime?” he asked. “There is still too much blood being shed in South Africa. I call it the three Bs. Blood, bodies and bullets.”
He challenged the volunteers to reach a 5000 headcount by the end of the year, a challenge the CPF accepted. There are currently 3500 volunteers, says Isaacs.
Abramjee encouraged the volunteers not to give up. “Sooner or later we will win the war again crime. Lead the war against crime,” he urged.
CPF deputy chairperson Ashley Potts said the night was in honour of the volunteers. “This is about saying thank you for all that you do,” he said.
Station commander Brigadier Cass Goolam also expressed his gratitude to the volunteers and urged them to continue helping police in the fight against crime.
“We must leave no corner for crime to hide. We want the community to be free and children must walk free but we will not win if we continue to point fingers. We must mobilise and I will master all the resources available to me and we will take back our streets,” he says.
Each volunteer received a certificate. The evening also featured a candle-lighting ceremony to honour fallen heroes – both officers and volunteers. The night also featured entertainment by the provincial police band and the reciting of a pledge against crime
