Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Understanding the Psychology of Domestic Violence
  • GADRA and Mobile Science Lab launch new science project
  • Beading through the generations
  • Almost 50 GADRA alumni graduate from Rhodes this week!
  • How it feels to go without water for seven days
  • Cleaning Kowie River and Fairview Spring for World Water Day
  • Local soccer teams avoid SAB Regional League relegation!
  • Bongani Fule: new Eastern Cape Junior Lightweight champion!
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»When the community speaks
Uncategorized

When the community speaks

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailOctober 22, 2009No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

On Saturday, 17 October a group of Rhodes journalism students who had been investigating crime in Currie Park, Oatlands North and Somerset Heights as part of a civic journalism project, were ready to present their findings to the community.

On Saturday, 17 October a group of Rhodes journalism students who had been investigating crime in Currie Park, Oatlands North and Somerset Heights as part of a civic journalism project, were ready to present their findings to the community.

They distributed 400 fliers advertising the event and put up posters all over town. As 11am approached it became apparent that attendance would be disappointing.

Those present expressed their frustration at the evident apathy of their neighbours and criticised the isolated mentality of suburban living as a major obstacle to reducing crime.

While researching their articles, sound slides and documentaries the students had found that residents were highly preoccupied with the perceived failings of the police as well as fears for the safety of their families and property – yet few are willing to engage with these fears in a meaningful way.

This was reinforced by people’s hesitance to report crimes. Despite the poor turnout, Inspector Milanda Coetzer of the South African Police Service presented a thorough presentation accompanied by Sergeant Gay Mackenzie, the newly appointed head of Sector Three (Somerset Heights area).

They responded to residents’ complaints concerning a lack of visible policing in their area. To place crime in the Somerset Heights, Oatlands North and Currie Park areas in perspective week by week, Coetzer explained that statistics clearly revealed that while the CBD and Grahamstown East experience high instances of serious and violent crimes, these three neighbourhoods often went without a single reported incident. Of course this may demonstrate a lack of faith in the justice system rather than the reality of crime and some residents freely admitted that the only reason they felt compelled to report crime was because insurance required them to do so.

They described the process of reporting as an exasperating one in which they spent hours at the police station dealing with a “frustrating and ineffective system”.

Coetzer stressed that if residents don’t report crimes then the SAPS’ time and manpower will be allocated elsewhere as the crime prevention system focuses mostly on hotspots.

Coetzer’s statistics also revealed a worrying trend. As the more affluent suburbs increasingly rely on Hi-Tech to secure their homes, criminals are choosing to risk confronting surprised civilians rather than a team of armed response guards.

Homes are being targeted between 6 and 9pm at night when it is likely that the occupants are at home and alarms are deactivated, obviously at greater risk to their safety.

Coetzer also reminded residents that the biggest concern for the broader area of Grahamstown West is the theft of laptops, which amounted to over a million rand’s worth already been reported stolen this year.

In conclusion Coetzer stressed that she found students’ initiative very helpful as there are few forums in which the Grahamstown community can effectively air their concerns.

She asked those listening to remember that the policemen and women of Grahamstown are members of the community too and their concern for the safety and security of Grahamstown should not be doubted.  
 

Previous ArticleTell us who should be Bafana’s new coach
Next Article Rowing and skiing win top awards
Grocott's Mail

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.