A Crime Prevention Forum (CPF) in the Eastern Cape has been established to root out criminal activities in the Mthatha CBD.
Members of the forum are allowed to stop and search people as well as confiscate any form of weapons.
Within three days, drugs and more than 800 weapons ranging from knives to pangas have been confiscated.
Leader of the Forum, Shakes Mbengo says they want to do their part in protecting the community.
“It is our responsibility as the community to do something about the increasing crime rate in our areas. Police cannot be everywhere, we have to stand up and fight the scourge of criminality in our streets, villages and everywhere. Sometimes there would be excuses that police vans are not available and that is the main reason we have decided to dedicate our time and risk our lives and save many people that are victims of crime.”
Provincial police spokesperson Thembinkosi Kinana says they commend the effort to fight crime, which should always be done within the law and recognised crime fighting structures.
“We have since picked up that there are structures which are not affiliated to the legislative structures such as Community Policing Forum structures and that is why, sometimes you will find these pockets of mob justice because people are not educated on how to deal with crime. We are there encouraging all the structures within the communities that are not affiliated to the CPF to do so that they are not at loggerheads with other community stakeholders.”
In February this year at least 10 people were killed in the Bhityi area, in Mthatha. Ward councillor Unathi Daniso confirmed that three people were killed at Thanstseka Village, while between five and seven people were killed in the Qunu area.
These kinds of attacks in the area are said to be stock theft related.
In November, seven family members from the village were also shot dead. Seven suspects have since been arrested for the incident and appeared in court where they were to apply for bail.
