Bikes to keep Paarl's streets safe
Paarl neighbourhood watches welcome bicycle donation
THREE neighbourhood watches in Paarl East in the Boland have received 50 new bicycles from not-for-profit organisation Qhubeka to help combat crime.
The bicycles, donated to volunteers from Fairyland, Chicago and Hillside, were built at Nederburg in Paarl, the home of the Qhubeka bicycle organisationin the Western Cape.
The organisation was started 10 years ago and has distributed 75 000 bicycles nationally to date.
Qhubeka regional manager Ian Mills said neighbourhood watch patrols would be more effective. “They are now better equipped to safeguard communities. The bicycles will help neighbourhood watch members to do longer patrols, and to do more patrols, because they spend less time walking.
“We see bicycles as a way to move communities forward. As such, we gear programmes around schoolgoing learners. Equipping people who fight crime and look after their communities is part of our holistic intervention as we know the bicycles allow them to travel further and conduct more frequent patrols.”
Mills said Qhubeka assisted in any area where there was a need. Areas such as Stellenbosch, Worcester, Kommetjie Corridor and, potentially, the West Coast would also receive bicycles.
Qhubeka’s aim was to distribute 5 000 bicycles in the Western Cape this year with its partners, the Bicycling Empowerment Network and the Pedal Power Association.
Makhenke Krenya of the Fairyland Neighbourhood Watch said the donation was appreciated as it would make the lives of patrollers easier.
“As neighbourhood members we have few resources. The bicycles will help us to get to places quicker when we are called. We will be able to do longer patrols now, but we still need more resources.”