Kempton Park residents and business owners gathered at the Civic Centre on Tuesday evening for the latest Community Policing Forum (CPF) meeting, focusing on collaborative efforts to enhance safety across the area, particularly concerning property crime and vehicle theft prevalent in the industrial and logistics hub adjacent to OR Tambo International Airport.
The meeting, attended by representatives from the Kempton Park SAPS station, various neighbourhood watch groups, and local ward councillors, provided an overview of crime trends over the past quarter. While acknowledging persistent challenges, speakers highlighted several successful joint operations that led to arrests and the recovery of stolen goods, particularly in areas like Rhodesfield and near major warehousing facilities. The CPF stressed the importance of residents reporting suspicious activities promptly and engaging actively with their local neighbourhood watch structures.
Captain Sipho Dlamini, Visible Policing Commander at Kempton Park SAPS, addressed the attendees, emphasising the critical role of community involvement. "Our intelligence gathering relies heavily on the eyes and ears of our community. When residents and businesses work hand-in-hand with us, sharing information and participating in initiatives like sector policing patrols, we see tangible reductions in crime. The recent decrease in business robberies in the industrial zones is a direct result of this intensified collaboration and increased visibility," Captain Dlamini stated.
Discussions also covered upcoming safety awareness campaigns targeting common issues such as smash-and-grab incidents and home invasions. The CPF encouraged more residents, especially those in the rapidly developing residential areas, to join existing neighbourhood watch groups or assist in establishing new ones to create a more resilient and secure Kempton Park for all its diverse working-class and middle-class inhabitants.
