The Matjhabeng Local Municipality has teamed up with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to combat crime in Thabong Township which has become notorious for violent crimes such as rape, murder and robbery.

The speaker of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Bheki Stofile, said the collaboration between the municipality and the SAPS is aimed at adopting a proactive rather than a reactive approach to crime prevention.

“As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Therefore we as the Matjhabeng Local Municipality support this approach of preventing crime. There is proof that when we combine our skills and knowledge to stand together against something, we become far better off.

“Crime has taken over our lives and has become part of the community, like a member. We have allowed things like murder, rape and robbery to become a norm in our society. But I believe that the sunshine will rise when we stand together and let the darkness move out,” he added.

Thabong has been named the neighbourhood in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality with the highest crime rate, followed by Welkom, according to deputy provincial police commissioner, Major General Moeketsi Sempe.

Sempe was addressing officials of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality and members of the different police stations in the district at a preparatory seminar ahead of the two-day crime prevention strategy summit that ended in Bloemfontein on April 12.

“The National Crime Prevention Strategy was initiated by the Cabinet in March 1995. The strategy was a result of the rapid increase of criminal activities all over South Africa. The SAPS realised that the police cannot deal with the situation alone, but needs to be assisted by government and the community,” said Sempe.

He said the National Crime Prevention Strategy is based on a fundamentally new approach by government. In particular, it requires the development of wider responsibility for crime prevention and a shift in emphasis from reactive “crime control”; which deploys most resources towards responding after crimes have already been committed, towards proactive “crime prevention” aimed at preventing crime from occurring at all.

“Crime levels in South Africa are affected by many of the same universal factors which manifest themselves in other countries. Our unique situation and history have however contributed to a range of factors specific to our situation,” added Sempe.