Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum neighbourhood watches drive more than 94 000 km during national patrol

The civil rights organisation AfriForum mobilised 132 communities all over the country to participate in a national patrol this past weekend.

Approximately 3 500 AfriForum members and 1 822 other security role players took part in the national patrol. The patrol was executed with 2 733 private vehicles that drove 94 289 km in total. More than 187 incidents were handled successfully. AfriForum once again succeeded in mobilising 91% of all safety structures, which is considered a huge success. The thorough preparation of the safety structures is a contributing factor in the pursuit to reduce crime.

Other groups that participated included private neighbourhood watches, security companies, community policing forums, towing services, police stations, local businesses, emergency medical services and local traffic departments.

The aim of the national patrol is to mobilise communities against crime and to improve visibility and cooperation between various safety role players on national as well as local level.

“With the festive season approaching, preventative actions such as these are of utmost importance where safety is concerned, because it shows that communities are cooperating with the SAPS and other security structures in taking ownership of their own safety. The patrol once again shows how important it is for communities to work at safeguarding themselves,” says Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Northern Region.

“The fact that community members are involved in safety structures creates trust in the community and enhances awareness and vigilance to curb crime in the area. Good cooperation between neighbourhood watches, the SAPS and local security companies enables security structures within AfriForum to have more successful operations such as this one to help the community during emergencies,” says Joseph Renaud, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Central Region.

“Pro-active measures in the form of visibility patrols give communities hope. It is necessary for the various safety role players in the community to regularly engage in projects of this nature,” concludes Johandré van Zyl, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Southern Region.

Get involved with your local AfriForum neighbourhood watch today: SMS your name to 45353 (R1).