Neighbourhood Watch going strong
LETHAL weapons were confiscated by the Nomzamo Neighbourhood Watch in Nomzamo and Unifound recently.
Watch secretary Andile Zondi representing Nomzamo, Unifound, Izinyoka and Nkululeko said the group was a part of sector two crime unit in the areas.
During a recent patrol in Nomzamo, Zondi said a spear and an assegai were found on four youths when they were stopped and searched. He said the four had carried the items in their backpacks, along with a bottle neck (‘kop’) they used to smoke drugs. He said two of them were about 15 and two others in their mid-twenties.
When the men were asked what they planned to do with the weapons, Zondi said they replied they were on a mission to rob people. “We told them nobody gets robbed in these areas and we chased them away.”
The incident took place after they had visited a house in Unifound where a youth was reported for constantly beating and threatening his mother for money to buy drugs. He said the young man had often taken items by force from the house to sell for drugs. “We went to take the weapons he was using.”
On the day of these incidents, Zondi said about 50 men had patrolled. He said the group was growing and people were flocking in numbers to their meetings. However, he appealed to more community members to join them. “The group is not for specific people, community members must not adopt that mentality – it is for everyone,” said Zondi.
Outlining the objectives of the neighbourhood watch he said their main aim was to fight crime in the communities. The crime fighters not only wanted to combat crime, but to bring back the spirit of ubuntu (humanity) among the people. “People with plenty cannot throw away food while their neighbours are starving. Our other goal is getting people to know each other in order to assist one another.”
Zondi said, “We appeal to people who are planning to commit crime to think twice because they will not succeed in our territory.”
People interested in joining the neighbourhood watch should contact Andile Zondi at 083-558 5029.