The community vows to deal with criminals Yingwani Mashaba
Recent incidents of crime triggered uncontrollable anger amongst villagers who have now taken a vow to respond with vengeance.The community of Merwe, Limpopo, convened a meeting to find ways to bring criminal acts to a complete halt.
Speaker after speaker spoke with venom against incidents of crime in the area which seem to be on the rise. Criminals who are believed to be residents of the very community they seek to terrorise, have been sent a stern warning that should they continue with their bullying tactics, they are likely to face the music before the community hand them over to law enforcement agencies.
“We are not going to tolerate any form of crime, regardless of who commits it,” said one resident. Pastor Macebele added his voice: “I urge you women to defy tradition. Learn a lesson from your urban contemporaries who if confronted by a criminal would defend themselves. Don’t throw you arms in the air but fight and whistle at the same time,” he said.
The community agreed to use whistles to alarm residents of criminals or suspicious individuals. But one resident warned the community to be aware of rascals who would want to play pranks on the community. “Anyone found to have committed such a silly act will be met with harsh punishment. Actions of that nature will defeat our efforts in fighting crime,” Pastor Macebele warned.Councillor Thomas Maluleke applauded the community for showing a spirit of unity in the fight against crime. But he warned the community not to be a law unto itself.
“If you happen to catch a suspected criminal, do not cause him any harm lest the law turn against you,” he warned.However, the community’s decisions were tested soon thereafter. When DVDs and a television set were stolen, Egnes Maluleke, community policing forum chairperson phoned the police with information about individuals in the community who were suspected of stealing the items. But residents became angry when they learnt that the victims and the culprits had tried to reach an “˜indoor settlement’.
“This is a clear sign that some elements are undermining our fight to root out elements of crime,” said Robert Chauke, a community policing forum member. “It’s like saying to my child: “˜If you disregard the law, I will come to your defence.’ Those who want to protect and conceal acts of crime must know that from today, they will not be treated with kid-gloves.”
Curbing crime with chess While Merwe has beefed up its community policing forum, KwaThema resident and Numsa official, Rolly Xipu and former chess player himself, is delighted with the donation of a giant chessboard to the Kwa Thema community. “Chess exercises the brain muscles,” he says. “It’s a good tool to remove kids from the streets and from doing crime!”
Presented to the community on May 26, the donation of the giant chessboard was made possible through Wits architecture students Tseleng Phala and Kasia Kwiecinska and others and lecturer Hanna Le Roux.
This team managed to secure funding for the project from Dr Rene Spitz, general director of Rendel and Spitz in Germany, Afrisum, East Rand and Dr M Lesia of Kwa Thema. The old beer hall in Masimini has also been renovated into a recreation centre for children.
Find the Chess Academy and giant chessboard at the corner of Job Maseko and Thema Road. The Chess Academy which was opened in 2003 currently has 70 members and welcomes new members – children, youth and adults. For more details contact Anthony Shoba 073 813 2117.
Imiphakathi ilwa nobugebunguImiphakathi ilwisana nobugebengu ezindaweni zase-Merwe nakwaThema.
Abantu abahlala eMerwe, eLimpopo banenhlangano yokuqapha umphakathi esebenzayo efungile ukuthi izolwisana nezigebengu eziphakathi kwayo bese ibanikezela emaphoyiseni abasolwa.
KwaThema Ekurhuleni, amalungu omphakathi asefuna ezinye izinto angathokozisa ngazo izingane ukuze aziqhelise ebugebengwini.Indawo yotshwala ebiyibhiya hholo seyilungisiwe yenziwa isikhungo sezokuzithokozisa kwezingane kanti kunikelwe nge-chessboard emphakathini.
Umuntu ohlala KwaThema noyisisebenzi seNumsa futhi owayengumdlali we-chess, uRolly Xipu ujabule kakhulu ngomnikelo we-chess board.
“Uthe i-chess ivocavoca izicubu zobuchopho”.
“Yithuluzi elihle kakhulu lokususa izingane emigwaqeni kanye nasekwenzeni ubugebengu!”
Gemeenskappe takel misdaadGemeenskapslede in Merwe en KwaThema takel misdaad.
Inwoners van Merwe, Limpopo, het “˜n gemeenskapspolisií«ringsforum wat gesweer het om misdadigers in hulle midde te takel, en om verdagtes aan die polisie te oorhandig.
In KwaThema in Ekurhuleni probeer lede van die gemeenskap om ander afleiding vir die kinders te verskaf, en hulle só van misdaad af weg te hou.
Die biersaal is omskep in “˜n ontspanningsentrum vir kinders, terwyl “˜n reuse-skaakbord aan die gemeenskap geskenk is.
Rolly Xipu, inwoner van KwaThema, Numsa-amptenaar en voormalige skaakspeler, is verheug oor die skenking van die bord. “Skaak oefen die breinspiere”, síª hy.
“Dis “˜n goeie middel om kinders van die strate en van misdaad af weg te hou!”
Baahi ba shebana le botlokotsebeSebakeng sa Merwe le mane KwaThema baahi ba lwantshana le botlokotsebe.
Mane Merwe, Limpopo, baahi ba na le diforamo tsa sepolesa sa metse tse sebetsang mme tsona ba ikanne ho lwantshana le ditlokotsebe tse ka hara bona le ho isa babelaelwa mapoleseng. Tulong ya Kwa Thema e mane Ekurhuleni, baahi ba batlile mekgwa ya ho tlosa bana ketsahalong dife kapa dife tsa botlokotsebe. Sebaka se neng se rekisa jwala pejana se lokisetswe ho ba setsi sa boithapollo bakeng sa bana, mme ho fanwe ka chessboard e kgolohadi ke baahi. Moahi wa Kwa Thema hape e le mohlanka wa Numsa e bile e le e mong ya neng a bapala chess kgale, Rolly Xipu o thabile haholo ka mpho ena ya chess board. “Chess e kwetlisa mesifa ya kelello,” ke yena eo.
“Ke sesebediswa se setle haholo bakeng sa ho tlosa bana mebileng le hore ba se ke ba etsa botlokotsebe!”