Communities in Muledane village and its sub-sections near Thohoyandou have responded to a rise in serious crimes—including murder, house robbery, cable theft and school burglaries—by launching a community policing forum (CPF).
Residents of Muledane, including those in Block J, Mvudi, and Muledane M and H, say they hope the CPF will help curb crimes such as rape, cable theft and break-ins, which have become prevalent in recent months.
The CPF was officially launched at the village sports ground on Saturday, 31 May. Ten members were elected to lead the forum, with Dr Lufuno Ramabulana as chairperson, Mr Nyambeni Masera as deputy chairperson, and Mr Mashonelo Nwovhe as secretary.
"Crimes like cable theft, rape and housebreaking were becoming too common in Muledane," said Nwovhe. "We decided to act and approached the Thohoyandou police, who helped us establish the CPF. We hope this will help make the village safer."
He added that prior to the launch, the local police had provided training to CPF members and urged the community not to take the law into their own hands but to report suspects to the police.
Ms Adella Munyangane, CPF chairperson at the Thohoyandou Police Station, who attended the launch, said the CPF was a vital structure created by the community to protect itself from crime. "CPF members must work as a team to ensure their community is safe," she said.
Ward 18 councillor Tshitereke Nelushi welcomed the initiative. "We used to worry about thugs stealing electricity cables, especially during load shedding. These thefts left the village in the dark and often led to more crimes," he said. "We congratulate the newly elected CPF. They are our foot soldiers in the fight against crime."