Servamus Community-based Safety and Security Magazine - Volume 109, Issue 6, June 2016

I've asked this question often in the past, and I know, sadly, that this is not the last time that I'm going to do so: What is wrong with our society that we resort to violence to show that we don't like or agree with something or someone? When are we going to learn, and teach our children that violence is not the answer. The examples in recent times are numerous, such as the recent service delivery protests in Vuwani in Limpopo in which 26 schools were damaged: 11 were totally burnt down and 15 were partially burnt and damaged. But that was not all. According to the Minister of State Security, Mr David Mahlobo, major routes were blocked with tree trunks, rocks, stones and pipes. One SAPS trailer was burnt, one purification system was damaged and two trucks belonging to a contractor and a guard room were burnt. Three trucks from the Department of Public Works and a store room were burnt, 18 private vehicles' windows were smashed, five SAPS vehicles were smashed by stones, four houses were burnt and one Tribal Authority Office and satellite police station were damaged. Police vehicles patrolling the area were attacked and ambushed, and protesters targeted specific community members and councillors.

Outstanding customer service Ermelo SAPS

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Kommissies en departmentele ondersoeke na polisie-aangeleenthede, 1910-2015

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Opsoek na oudbrigadier Hugo

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Do you want to earn some pocket money?

Datadot foils car wheel scam

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Revised basic police training announced

Gangs are not a problem unique to South Africa - they are found all over the world. According to the FBI, there are more than 33 000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs and prison gangs in the US, with an approximate 1.4 million members who are criminally active. Although they are not as common as they are in the USA, street gangs are also found in Europe. In South Africa, people tend to think that gang violence and activities are limited to the Western Cape. It's time to wake up - gangs are found throughout the country.

There's no doubt that members of the community need to be active participants in the fight against crime within the context of the police's "back to basics" approach. And when it comes to fighting violent crime, we all agree that one murder is one too many, irrespective of whether it occurs in the city or on a farm.

A year seldom goes by without the SAPS being criticised for not doing enough to curb violent crimes - this most often happens when the crime statistics are released each year. An in-depth analysis of the Victims of Crime Survey (VoCS) data, which was presented by the Statistician-General Pali Lehohla on 4 May 2016, made it clear that when it comes to some violent crimes, the police have limited powers in terms of doing something to prevent such crime from happening.

Outsiders may find the concept of witchcraft mind-boggling, despite the fact that it has been practised widely across the world - in Asia as "superpower" and in Europe as "magic". In Africa, beliefs in witchcraft and sorcery (magic) form an integral part of many African cultures, especially as explanations for misfortune, illness and even death. But what happens when cultural beliefs turn into crime?

"I married at a young age and was never allowed to work. After my divorce I tried to find work and eventually gave up when I couldn't find anything that would sustain me and my son. I haven't told anyone in my family about what I do. I want to get out of it some day, but it is hard. Working as a sex worker is not what I chose to do - nobody chooses this. But it's what I had to do to support my son. I just don't want people to judge me or treat me inhumanely. When I was younger and working as a sex worker, one of my clients was surprised when he saw my books. He asked me if I could actually read them! I was so angry. I mean, sex workers are human beings! We can think, we can read, we are not stupid people. I just wish society would stop judging us."

Women in short skirts, high heels and sexy poses on street corners are found in cities around the world, and the harbour city of Port Elizabeth is no exception. In city centres, many of these women wait for a chance to make some money by selling their bodies to men who are willing to pay for sexual pleasures. Although these women of the night know about the danger of being attacked when going out with a client, they are willing to take the risk.

This month, a lot of international focus will fall on drugs due to the celebration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June. This day, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987, serves as a reminder of the goal of creating an international society free of drug abuse, as agreed to by Member States.

In South Africa illicit drug use plays a role in many major social problems, such as violence, stress and child abuse. Drug use can lead to homelessness, crime, absence from work or experiencing problems with keeping a job. It harms unborn babies and destroys families. Families in which addiction occur are oftentimes painful to live in, which is why those who live with addiction may become traumatised, to varying degrees, by the experience. Broad mood swings, from one end of the emotional, psychological or behavioural spectrum to the other, all too often characterise the addicted family system.

Matla A Bana, which was founded by Monique Strydom, has been making a difference in the lives of many abused children for more than a decade already. Matla A Bana also makes a difference in the lives of those who investigate the crimes that are perpetrated against these children. One of its initiatives is the Incentive Awards, which are presented twice a year to investigating officers working at the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units in Gauteng. The aim is to give recognition to those who have done excellent investigation work to ensure that justice is served.

The two hot mineral springs, which have extremely high concentrations of minerals and natural gases, form part of the reason for the town's development. The town developed as a health resort and transport centre simultaneously with the railway from East London reaching the town in 1885. This prompted rapid development of the town as a commercial centre for the north-eastern region of the British colony. Today, the town mainly revolves around a farming community producing wool, maize, wheat, beef and dairy. As we wanted to know more about policing this town, SERVAMUS met Capt Ursula Roelofse, the communication officer of the Aliwal North Cluster, at the local police station. Although our main focus is usually on the local police station, we soon realised that the cluster and the various policing units in this cluster play an important role in helping the local police to achieve successes and to keep Aliwal North a safe place for its residents and visitors.

Murder suspect arrested at Esikhaleni

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Nyanga Cluster Imbizo: New police station in the pipeline for Brown's Farm

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Police arrest foreign nationals during an operation in Cape Town CBD

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Tracker SAPS winner gives hope to Mpopuleng Centre

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Trio appear in court for possession of rhino horns

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Brits operation nets 65 suspects

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Constable who plotted to kill a colleague arrested

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Nyanga Cluster successes

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Men for change Western Cape

Funding for the Hawks has been increased to R1.4 billion in the 2016/2017 financial year and will be used for the establishment of specialised drug and firearm units.

A senior police officer based at the Bloemfontein K9 Unit walked more than 1000 km to the Mother City in honour of his wife and raised R40 000 for the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa).

There are, I suspect, a lot more SAPS members who are abusing illicit substances than we realise, or care to realise. During my time in the SAPS I came across the phenomenon a few times, even with close colleagues. If substance abuse (I differentiate between the terms "abuse" and "use") is being done as a response to a sense of "missing something", or due to trauma or stress, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that police members turn to it - especially considering that police officials know better than most how to get hold of illicit substances.

This month's theme concerns social ills, which include issues such as drug abuse, gang problems and occult-related influences. The chance that law enforcers will be exposed to such scenarios while working at grassroots level exists and therefore one should plan ahead to handle such situations.

Naidoo v Minister of Police and Others (20431/2014) [2015] Zasca 152 (2 October 2015) and 4 all SA 609 (SCA) (2 October 2015) and 2016 (1) SACR 468 (SCA)

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Ukuthwala, Amadaki, Makoti and Lobola-related issues - S v Jezile 2015 (2) SACR 452 (WCC) and 2016 (2) SA 62 (WCC)

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Modern day technology now unavoidably and firmly entrenched in our legal system - S V Mathonsi 2016 (1) SACR 417 (GP)

A reader wants to know whether the police can dismantle (Afrikaans: "uitmekaarhaal") "a vehicle etc, which are involved in crime, in order to process it for physical evidence" (sic). If so, our reader wishes to know "what procedures should be followed" and "what if the owner of vehicle refuses, and what if an owner of a house refuses to give permission to use fingerprint powders and chemicals etc, which might cause damage"?