AfriForum neighbourhood watches defuse violent situations, assist with roadblocks during mass patrol

Over the past weekend, AfriForum’s 177 neighbourhood watches participated in a coordinated, countrywide mass patrol aimed at strengthening visible policing and deterring criminal activity across South Africa. During this coordinated patrol, AfriForum members in Broadwood, Eastern Cape succeeded, among other things, in defusing a situation that quickly turned violent.

AfriForum members responded within minutes to a distress message reporting an assault in progress just 800 m from the local AfriForum Operations Centre. Three AfriForum and three CityWide Security patrol vehicles were immediately dispatched and quickly brought the situation under control before handing it over to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Situations such as this is why AfriForum regularly undertakes nationwide mass patrols. This initiative forms part of AfriForum’s ongoing commitment to building safer communities through citizen-led action and responsible cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

From the rural Northern Cape to metropolitan areas such as Cape Town and Pretoria, thousands of AfriForum members and volunteers mobilised to patrol their neighbourhoods, respond to incidents, and support police operations. In the Northern Cape, four neighbourhood watches took part in the mass patrol, while AfriForum’s Walker Drive neighbourhood watch in the Eastern Cape assisted SAPS during a joint crime prevention operation, where 75 vehicles were stopped and inspected at a roadblock.

In the Bashewa area near Pretoria, the Moreleta Park neighbourhood watch joined rural patrols aimed at preventing farm attacks and increasing visibility in remote high-risk areas. In Potchefstroom, the local AfriForum neighbourhood watch carried out a simulation exercise involving a mock motor vehicle accident. An old wreck was staged with “injured” occupants, requiring neighbourhood watch members to secure the scene and provide basic support until emergency medical services arrived. In Cape Town North, AfriForum members participated in joint visibility patrols alongside SAPS to promote community safety through strategic cooperation.

AfriForum’s various neighbourhood watches operate across the country, offering a vital service in community-based crime prevention and emergency response. These teams focus on visible patrolling, early warning systems, radio communication networks, community mobilisation, and rapid incident response — all within the legal framework and in collaboration with the local law enforcement.

To ensure members are fully equipped to handle real-life emergencies, AfriForum provides extensive training and support. This includes legal education on citizens’ rights and obligations, basic first aid, radio communication protocols, scene safety procedures, and simulation exercises to develop practical skills. Members are also trained to cooperate effectively with SAPS and other emergency services, ensuring an integrated approach to public safety.

“This mass patrol demonstrates what is possible when communities take ownership of their safety, work together, and support formal policing structures,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Head Spokesperson for Community Safety.

AfriForum continues to encourage citizens to join their local neighbourhood watches and contribute to building safer, more resilient communities — one patrol at a time. Visit www.afriforum.co.za/en/safety/neighbourhood-watches/ for more information.