Thohoyandou - Limpopo MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Dikeledi Magadzi, has urged Community Safety Forums to work with the police in tackling crime.
Addressing the launch of the Vhembe and Mopani Community Safety Forum in Thohoyandou recently, Magadzi said communities should help identify crime hot spots and report any suspicious activities to the police.
She signed a pledge committing her department, in conjunction with various municipalities, to reducing crime and supporting community safety forums.
The pledge seeks to promote and implement safety and security initiatives in municipalities, collaborate with government departments and other stakeholders in the fight against crime and to ensure the integration of safety plans in the Integrated Development Plans at municipalities.
General Manager of crime prevention in the department, Nchabeng Tsebe, said the new forum should set a good example of how communities can unite to fight crime.
"Normally people consider it the job of the police to end crime alone. This forum has now changed that. We must unite all - police and communities - to fight crime. Communities should also help to establish street forums so that crime is brought to an end," she said.
Elected chairperson of the forum, Jacob Matakanye, said the forum's first step will be to organise a community indaba to discuss crime fighting strategies.
