Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum’s nationwide mass patrol leads to a series of arrests

A mass patrol in which AfriForum’s 177 neighbourhood and farm watches nationwide participated this past weekend led to a series of arrests, including that of a murder suspect. These arrests for, among other things, possession of drugs, illegal immigration, assault, possession of stolen goods and damage to property were conducted in collaboration with law enforcement agencies. The mass patrol was carried out continuously from Friday, 11 April, at 16:00 to Saturday, 12 April, at approximately 05:00.

In addition to patrolling, neighbourhood watch members also provided assistance at various accident scenes as well as operations of the South African Police Service (SAPS) during which numerous dangerous weapons and illegal items were seized.

AfriForum’s farm and neighbourhood watches aided at two notable incidents in the Western Cape during the weekend’s mass patrol. In the first incident, AfriForum’s farm watch in Uniondale assisted the SAPS with the tracking of a murder suspect, which ultimately led to the successful arrest of the suspect. This arrest followed after the suspect’s vehicle was spotted by private security cameras, and the SAPS could be placed on the suspect’s trail. In another incident, AfriForum’s local neighbourhood watch in the Overstrand responded to an armed robbery on Saturday morning. All stolen goods were recovered, and the suspects were handed over to the authorities.

According to Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety, AfriForum’s mass patrols are not only intended to make AfriForum’s presence as a safety role player in local communities clear and to serve as a deterrent to potential criminals. These nationwide operations, which are held three times a year, also serve as training operations to assess AfriForum’s national network of neighbourhood and farm watches’ mobilisation and communication abilities as part of the organisation’s national radio network. Furthermore, the activities of this sophisticated network are controlled and monitored during mass patrols by the AfriForum control rooms located in various locations around the country. Training thus equips the organisation’s safety structures nationwide to respond swiftly and effectively, when necessary, in the interest of communities’ safety.

“The active involvement of our volunteers in this mass initiative, which was undertaken for the first time this year, shows once again how essential organised community safety is in a country where crime is out of control,” says Broodryk. “AfriForum is proud of every patroller who sacrifices their time and skills to help secure their community. This is where true safety begins – with the community itself.”

AfriForum encourages the public to join their nearest AfriForum neighbourhood watch structure. Visit www.afriforumbuurtwag.co.za for more information or to get involved.