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.

Cooperation between neighbourhood watches and the police must now be formalised

Soundbite: Jacques Broodryk (English)

The civil rights organisation AfriForum believes that the latest crime statistics confirm that the country remains deeply mired in a crime crisis. Although the murder rate decreased by 5.9% during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, 5 427 people were still murdered in the span of just three months. This means that nearly 60 people lose their lives every day. At the same time, attempted murder increased by 8.7%, while rape decreased by only 0.3%.

AfriForum therefore welcomes the acknowledgment by the Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, that the South African Police Service (SAPS) and communities must work more closely together to combat crime. The minister emphasised that the government cannot fight crime alone and that neighbourhood watches, community organisations, and other structures play an important role in community safety.

According to AfriForum, however, this recognition must now be transformed into a formal and practical partnership between the SAPS and neighbourhood watches.

“AfriForum welcomes Minister Cachalia’s acknowledgment that communities play an indispensable role in combating crime. However, we have long maintained that communities should not be regarded as a resource only during major operations. The relationship between the SAPS and AfriForum neighbourhood watches needs to be formalised to ensure clear protocols, communication channels, information sharing, and operational cooperation. The capacity already exists in many communities—the government simply needs to utilise it more effectively,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s chief spokesperson for Community Safety.

The success of such cooperation was once again demonstrated this past weekend during Operation Shanela in the Akasia area. AfriForum’s Noord van die Berg neighbourhood watch was invited by the SAPS to support the operation. AfriForum mobilised its network on short notice, with support from its Brits and Centurion neighbourhood watches, as well as various local security stakeholders.

The operation involved, among others, the SAPS, the SAPS drone unit, the Tshwane Metro Police, the Department of Home Affairs, the Vehicle Unit, AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches, canine unit and drone capabilities, as well as various private security and community safety structures.

The collaboration led to a series of successes, including 148 arrests for immigration law violations, 15 arrests for drunk driving, and arrests related to drug possession, illegal liquor sales, stolen vehicles, and other offenses. Two stolen vehicles were also recovered. Various items – including liquor, cigarettes, illegal fireworks, drugs, signal jammers, vehicle parts, and precious metals – were confiscated.

According to AfriForum, this operation demonstrated what is possible when law enforcement agencies and organised communities combine their resources and information.

“This is once again a practical example of what happens when the SAPS and community safety structures work together with a common goal. AfriForum’s radio communication network helped keep the various teams constantly connected, while our neighbourhood watches made their local knowledge, vehicles, LPR capabilities, and other resources available. This is the kind of cooperation we want to see on a larger and more structured level,” says Broodryk.

The government remains responsible for law enforcement and public safety. However, communities have a network of volunteers willing to play a meaningful role in preventing crime and strengthening the hands of the police.

“Crime statistics show that the government simply cannot win the battle alone. There is enormous security capacity within South African communities that is already functioning at the grassroots level every day. We welcome the minister’s acknowledgment of this. Now, the government must take the next step and formalise this cooperation. We cannot keep having the same conversation every quarter while the country’s residents continue to be murdered, robbed, and raped every day,” Broodryk concludes.

AfriForum will continue to expand and strengthen its network of 177 neighborhood and farm watches and is prepared to cooperate with the SAPS where such cooperation is practical, accountable, and focused on measurable results.