Afriforum- Success: June 2019

Environmental Affairs

• Various AfriForum branches in Mpumalanga, among which those in Nelspruit, Machadodorp, Bethal, Middelburg and Lydenburg, executed blue and green drop water tests.
• The following AfriForum branches in the Free State participated in the civil rights organisation’s blue and green drop project: Bethlehem, Bultfontein, Frankfort, Harrismith, Kroonstad, Reitz, Senekal, Welkom and Winburg.
• During the month of June, AfriForum tested the water of ten towns on the East Rand to determine the quality of these towns’ drinking water (blue drop) and sewage water (green drop).
• Various AfriForum branches in KwaZulu-Natal, among which those in Margate, Richards Bay, Hluhluwe, Pongola, Paulpietersburg, Vryheid, Utrecht and Newcastle, executed blue and green drop water tests.
• AfriForum’s Kimberley and Prieska branches in the Northern Cape participated in the organisation’s blue and green drop project.
• AfriForum branches in Mpumalanga also participated in the organisation’s blue and green drop project. These branches include Piet Retief, Standerton, Teks (Trichardt, Evander, Kinross and Secunda), Delmas, Leandra, Witbank and Ermelo.
• The following AfriForum branches in the Western Cape participated in the civil rights organisation’s blue and green drop project: Helderberg Basin, Cape Town North, Kraaifontein, Malmesbury, Overstrand, Stellenbosch, Velddrif, Vredendal and Worcester.

 

 NORTHERN REGION 

LIMPOPO

 Ellisras

• AfriForum’s Ellisras branch visited the SAVF’s Maroelaoord on Father’s Day to spend some time with the male residents; they also received some presents.

 Phalaborwa

• The civil rights organisation AfriForum established the Phalaborwa neighbourhood watch in the Soutpansberg district. The establishment took place after the community’s decision to organise and mobilise themselves against crime in the area.
• AfriForum’s Phalaborwa neighbourhood watch and the SAPS executed four arrests during two separate incidents in the Phalaborwa region. This contributed to making Phalaborwa a safer community.

 

GAUTENG

Kempton Park

• The branch rendered assistance during the arrest of an alleged suspect that stole a cell phone.
• AfriForum’s Kempton Park branch rendered assistance to the chairperson of a complex to lay a charge of trespassing against a trespasser.
• The branch offered assistance to locate a missing boy.
• The branch rendered assistance during the recovery of a hijacked truck during which two suspects were arrested on the scene.
• AfriForum’s Kempton Park branch offered assistance at three accident scenes during which neighbourhood watch members safeguarded the scene, as well as regulated the traffic and summoned emergency services.
• The Kempton Park branch rendered assistance during the repairs of broken palisades.
• The branch offered assistance to help trace a stolen bulldozer.
• The branch rendered assistance to help trace a wanted criminal in cooperation with the intelligence team of the SAPS.
• The AfriForum branch in Kempton Park executed a raid in cooperation with the EMPD during which a four-year-old child was abducted, two suspects were arrested and drugs and stolen items were also seized.
• The branch extinguished a tree that caught fire close to a residential property in cooperation with SSS Security.
• The branch executed a special crime prevention operation in cooperation with the SAPS during which various arrests were made for drug possession, drunk driving and the illegal possession of a firearm.

Alberton

• AfriForum’s Alberton branch held a community meeting and filled vacant portfolios.
• AfriForum’s Alberton branch held a meeting with the Department of Water and Sanitation concerning a 600 mm water pipe leak that has already been a problem for the past two years.

 Springs

• AfriForum’s Springs branch held a meeting with the local old-age home to determine the state of repairs to the building and offer assistance with repairs.
• AfriForum’s air support unit executed a raid in cooperation with the SAPS during which 12 illegal miners were arrested.
• The branch rendered air support to the SAPS with the exploration of areas in Springs for further operations.
• The branch offered assistance with a water car during the control of 13 veldt fires in the Endicott neighbourhood.
• The Springs branch rendered medical assistance during a hit-and-run case in Endicott.
• AfriForum’s Springs branch offered assistance in the search for armed robbers that robbed a business in Endicott.
• The branch trampled upon a thief that stole a farm gate; they subsequently returned the gate to the owner.
• The branch arrested two suspects in connection with a card scam by operating with various institutions.

 Brakpan

• AfriForum’s Brakpan branch launched a clean-up action at the Tweedy Park old-age home.
• AfriForum’s Brakpan branch and neighbourhood watch held a clean-up action in Minnebron in order to promote safety.
• AfriForum’s Brakpan neighbourhood watch received Stop the Bleed training.
• AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches in Brakpan, Springs and Germiston attended an information session by the organisation’s 911 Trauma Victim Support Unit.

Boksburg

• The civil rights organisation AfriForum established both a branch and neighbourhood watch in Boksburg.

 Germiston

• After continuous pressure by AfriForum’s Germiston branch, various potholes, streetlights and water leakages were repaired in the area.

 

 

MPUMALANGA

• The AfriForum coordinator operative in Mpumalanga offered assistance after an emergency call was received that a resident of Witbank was involved in a car accident.
• The AfriForum coordinator operative in Mpumalanga offered assistance at the scene of a farm murder outside Ermelo.
• The AfriForum coordinator operative in Mpumalanga gave an opinion against a planned mine in the Marloth Park area.
• The organisation taught two internship students participating in AfriForum Youth’s internship programme more about what AfriForum is busy with by, among others, taking them with on a patrol and exposing them to various do-it-yourself projects.

 Teks (Trichardt, Eloff, Kinross and Secunda)

• AfriForum’s Teks neighbourhood watch received legal and risk training.
• The Teks neighbourhood watch assisted at an accident scene by helping to regulate the traffic.

 Standerton

• AfriForum’s Standerton neighbourhood watch rendered assistance with veldt fires in and around the town.
• AfriForum’s Standerton neighbourhood watch held a mass patrol.
• AfriForum’s Standerton branch repaired water pipes after thousands of litres of clean water were lost.

 Bethal

• Bethal’s AfriForum branch completed two successful pothole actions. More than 800 bags of tar have already been utilised for these actions in 2019.
• Bethal’s AfriForum branch purchased and tested a new tar product to determine if it will deliver better results than traditional cold tar.
• The AfriForum branch in Bethal kicked off a street name project in Buffel Street.
• Bethal’s AfriForum branch serviced 30 dustbins in the town’s central business district to help improve the neatness of the town.

Piet Retief

• The AfriForum neighbourhood watch in Piet Retief held a mass patrol.

 Nelspruit

• AfriForum’s #AnchorTownRoadShow campaign was held in Nelspruit during the month of June. The following actions were completed:
  • Three marketing stands were manned in the town.
  • Clean-up actions were launched at Village Park, next to the R40 and at the moor in Enos Mabuza Road close to Lowveld High School, respectively.
  • Safety audits were executed at three schools.
  • Various businesses and media outlets were surprised with meals over lunchtime.
  • A large do-it-yourself action was completed at the Pro Gratia School. During the action fire-lines were cut, all the aircon units were repaired, three classrooms were treated with varnish and the overall neatness of the site was also improved.
  • AfriForum’s Cairn-Burnside farm watch held various mass patrols in cooperation with Nelspruit Concerned Citizens (NCC).
  • AfriForum’s Cairn-Burnside farm watch helped to improve safety in those areas surrounding the Innibos festival site. Various incidents were reported, including an attempted burglary of a vehicle during which remote jammers were used. The owner was assisted until he could move the vehicle.
  • AfriForum’s Nelspruit branch sponsored dustbins that were donated to We care 4 Nelspruit.
  • AfriForum’s Nelspruit branch presented Quo Vadis with Ernst Roets as part of the #AnchorTownRoadShow campaign.
  • AfriForum’s Nelspruit branch collected approximately R1 000 for the Nelspruit SPCA thanks to a marketing stand.

 Middelburg

• AfriForum Youth’s Middelburg branch held a successful kick-off during which artists entertained the residents of Middelburg.

 White River

• AfriForum’s White River neighbourhood watch assisted in bringing three suspected burglars to book in cooperation with various security companies.
• AfriForum’s White River neighbourhood watch applied first aid on victims of an accident after they arrived first on the scene.
• AfriForum’s White River neighbourhood watch offered assistance during the Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival.
• AfriForum’s White River branch participated in the organisation’s blue and green drop project.

 Machadodorp

• AfriForum’s Machadodorp neighbourhood watch offered assistance during the Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival.

 

 

CENTRAL REGION

NORTH WEST

 Vryburg

• The AfriForum branch in Vryburg handed over a set of radios with an own channel to their proto team.
• The proto team of the AfriForum branch in Vryburg received both shooting training and Stop the Bleed training.

Christiana

• The AfriForum branch in Christiana launched a project to clean up the town.

Biesiesvlei

• The AfriForum neighbourhood watch in Biesiesvlei traced a stolen vehicle in cooperation with the farm watches in Coligny, Sannieshof, Gerdau and the SAPS.

Delareyville

• The AfriForum branch in Delareyville purchased security cameras to safeguard neighbourhoods and they will also install it soon.

 Lichtenburg

• AfriForum’s Lichtenburg branch and the Laerskool Burgersdorp renovated the street and parking area in front of the school, while they also painted the curb stones, two speed humps and a pedestrian crossing in the busy Hendrik Potgieter Street.

Potchefstroom

• The do-it-yourself team of AfriForum’s Potchefstroom branch filled up nearly 700 potholes and replaced various traffic signs in the town to subsequently make an important contribution to road safety.

 Hartbeesfontein

• AfriForum’s Hartbeesfontein neighbourhood watch assisted in successfully tracing a stolen vehicle, as well as to catch three of the suspects.

 Klerksdorp

• AfriForum’s Ellaton neighbourhood watch held a successful awareness patrol and involved various safety institutions in the town with the aim of improving visibility and combating crime.

 

FREE STATE 

Bethlehem

• AfriForum’s Bethlehem branch offered assistance to an old-age home in Senekal that had to make do without water for longer than a week. The poor water pressure and bursting of pipes were some of the causes of the problem. AfriForum stepped in and donated 54 000 litres of water to help alleviate the distress. 62 residents currently live in the old-age home.

 

 KWAZULU-NATAL

• Various AfriForum branches in KwaZulu-Natal represented their members at the SAPS’s provincial rural safety committee’s meetings.
• Various AfriForum branches in KwaZulu-Natal were selected to be part of a subcommittee that was ordered to tackle the problem regarding stray cattle on the provincial roads.

Newcastle

• AfriForum’s Newcastle branch held various patrols.

 Vryheid

• AfriForum’s Vryheid branch’s safety structures achieved various successes.
• AfriForum’s Vryheid branch safeguarded their community thanks to proactive patrols.
• AfriForum’s Vryheid branch approached the Green Scorpions to take action with regard to the smouldering landfill site.

 Margate

• The youth portfolio of AfriForum’s Margate branch was very active with their beach clean-up project.

 Hluhluwe

• AfriForum’s Hluhluwe branch replaced stop signs.
• AfriForum’s Hluhluwe branch approached the Green Scorpions to tackle problems concerning the landfill site.
• AfriForum’s Hluhluwe branch safeguarded their community by regularly organising proactive patrols
• AfriForum’s Hluhluwe branch discovered illegal goods to the value of R150 000 and made various arrests.

 Pongola

• AfriForum’s Pongola branch held various proactive patrols to safeguard their community.

 Paulpietersburg

• AfriForum’s Paulpietersburg branch requested the Green Scorpions to take action with regard to the smouldering landfill site.
• AfriForum’s Paulpietersburg branch trained 55 community members in basic first aid.
• AfriForum’s Paulpietersburg branch safeguarded their community thanks to proactive patrols.
• AfriForum’s Paulpietersburg branch held a meeting with the municipality to discuss power failures.

 Utrecht

• AfriForum’s Utrecht branch held a community meeting with the aim of planning for future water problems.

 Richards Bay

• AfriForum’s Richards Bay branch participated in an action that involved the impoundment of stray cattle.

 

 

SOUTHERN REGION

NORTHERN CAPE

Strydenburg

• AfriForum established a branch in Strydenburg and assisted in selecting the branch management.

Vaalharts

• AfriForum’s Vaalharts branch established a neighbourhood watch.

 

EASTERN CAPE

Aliwal North

• AfriForum’s Aliwal North branch held a meeting with both the municipal manager and the general manager of technical services of the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality regarding the electricity crisis.

Elliot

• AfriForum’s Elliot branch arranged a meeting with the mayor and municipal manager concerning poor service delivery.

 

 

WESTERN CAPE

 Cape Town North

• AfriForum’s Bellville neighbourhood watch, which forms part of the civil rights organisation’s Cape Town North branch, held a patrol after a number of vehicle burglaries were reported in Bellville the previous week. During the patrol a person was caught red-handed while attempting to break into a vehicle. Basset North Security and the SAPS were summoned, after which the police arrested the alleged burglar and opened a case against him.
• AfriForum’s Bellville neighbourhood watch, which forms part of the civil rights organisation’s Cape Town North branch, received training in accident scene management. David Olivier, AfriForum’s Provincial Safety Coordinator for the Western Cape, presented the training session free of charge to the neighbourhood watch members.

 Stellenbosch

• AfriForum’s Stellenbosch branch elected a new management. The newly-elected branch management consists of Karin Hanekom (Chairperson), Antoinette Tigar (Secretary), Douglas Scholtz (Treasurer), Jac Pietersen (Chairperson: Community Safety), Ria Crafford (Chairperson: Environmental Affairs) and Pieter Burger (Projects and Recruitment).

Kraaifontein

• Five members of AfriForum’s Kraaifontein neighbourhood watch completed a two day long first-aid course. This training was presented in cooperation with Wetton Emergency and Training Services. The members received certificates after completion of the course and qualified as level 1 emergency officials.

 Vredendal

• AfriForum’s eight farm and neighbourhood watches in the Matzikama district received training in hearth and home protection, accident scene management and radio speech procedures. David Olivier, AfriForum’s Provincial Safety Coordinator for the Western Cape, presented the training session free of charge.

 Overstrand

• AfriForum’s Greater Gansbaai neighbourhood watch, which forms part of the civil rights organisation’s Overstrand branch, received training in legal aspects that are applicable to patrols, as well as training in accident scene management. This training session was presented by Thomas van Dalen, AfriForum’s National Head of Training for Community Safety.

 Mossel Bay

• AfriForum’s Mossel Bay branch presented the anti-bullying campaign in cooperation with Leandie Bräsler at the Laerskool Vorentoe in Great Brak River.
• The AfriForum branch in Mossel Bay executed two safety audits at the Laerskool Vorentoe in Great Brak River and the Laerskool Park in Mossel Bay, respectively.
• AfriForum’s Mossel Bay branch obtained authorisation for the erection of an AfriForum repeater for the two farm watches Greater Brandwag and Herbertsdale.
• The Mossel Bay branch presented night shooting training for the proto teams of the Greater Brandwag and Herbertsdale farm watches.

Hessequa

• AfriForum’s Goukou farm watch and Riversdale neighbourhood watch, both part of the civil rights organisation’s Hessequa branch structure, received training in radio speech procedures, land grabs and legal aspects applicable to patrols. David Olivier, AfriForum’s Provincial Safety Coordinator for the Western Cape, presented the training session free of charge and approximately 80 members of the community, including members of the Riversdale community policing forum, attended the training.

 Helderberg Basin

• AfriForum’s Helderberg Basin branch handed a certificate to Endriena Johnson, foreman of the Gordon’s Bay Fixed Waste Drop-off Facility, and praised her for her excellent service and good management of this site. The branch also surprised the employees of the site with pizza and cooldrinks over lunch. This follows after AfriForum earlier this year performed a national landfill site audit during which 127 landfill sites were audited. In the Western Cape, three sites in particular stood out, of which the Gordon’s Bay Fixed Waste Drop-off Facility is one.
• AfriForum’s Gordon’s Bay neighbourhood watch, which forms part of the civil rights organisation’s Helderberg Basin branch, received training in legal aspects applicable to patrols. This training session was presented by Johandré van Zyl, AfriForum’s Head of Safety for the Southern Region.

Velddrif

• The AfriForum branch in Velddrif presented various activities to the schoolchildren of this coastal town to keep them busy, to entertain them and to inform them about bullies. The branch visited the Hoërskool Velddrif and taught the learners more about bullies and how to handle it if you are being bullied. The branch presented an obstacle course challenge which the children enjoyed thoroughly. They also had to climb through a net, jump through tyres and keep their balance while walking over a plank. They also participated in target shooting and played paintball, after which the day was concluded with a tug of war competition. Faulkner and Franselien Smit, Secretary of AfriForum’s Velddrif branch, also shared a message about bullies with the children that attended the action. Each participant received a certificate and medal.