![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
This article reflects on community-based participation to reduce violent crimes in South Africa. Despite many policing strategies being developed and implemented over the years to reduce violent crimes in South Africa, these crimes are still on the increase. Against this background, the researcher reflects on some of the perceptions of violent crimes and policing that erode public confidence daily. The study is essentially qualitative in its approach. The researcher used the snowball sampling technique to identify community members from the Tshwane metropolitan area in Gauteng for in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that community members were unhappy with the level of community participation in the day-to-day policing of violent crimes in communities. This alienated them from the police and had an adverse effect on the ability of the police to enforce safety and security in communities. In view of these findings, there is a need for the police to enhance community participation so that the needs and expectations of communities are given priority.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgement is given to the University of South Africa, for encouragement and language editing support, and the editor and reviewers for their guidance in making improvements to this paper.
Notes on contributor
Dr Doraval Govender is currently a professor at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Doraval served in in the South African Police Service (SAPS) operationally and at different management levels both in the uniform and detective divisions until the rank of Assistant Commissioner (Major General). He underwent many educational, training and development programmes both internationally and nationally including the FBI programme for International students in Quantico, USA (199th session). He has also served as the President of the FBI Middle East, Africa Chapter for the FBI re-trainer session from 2001 to 2005. In 2009, he joined the University of South Africa (UNISA) as a lecturer in the Department of Security Management. Since 2009, he has published twenty (20) articles in journals, several book chapters, conference proceedings and a book in 2018. He is also the sub-editor of the Acta Criminologica Journal and an editorial board member of several journals, including international journals. He has chaired sessions at many different conferences and has presented papers both internationally and nationally on safety and security related issues. Doraval has a doctorate degree in Criminology (specializing in Security management), Mtech degree in Forensic Investigations, Honours degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Policing and a Diploma in Education, Training and Development from the University of Johannesburg. He was the Chair of the College of law Ethics Review Committee at UNISA from 2017 until 2018. He is also an NRF rated researcher.
Notes
1 Smilie and Mkhwanazi, SA’s Crime curse, 1.
2 Piscitelli, ‘Revisiting Shaw and McKay’, 132–6.
3 Creswell, Research design, 218.
4 Piscitelli, ‘Revisiting Shaw and McKay’, 132–6.
5 South African Police Service (SAPS), Annual report for 2018/2019.
6 Ibid.
7 Kratcoski and Kratcoski, Juvenile Delinquency, 112–3.
8 Ibid., 27.
9 Conklin, Criminology, Broken window, 34.
10 Nkondo, Ubuntu, 88–100.
11 Nyathi, Ubuntu in South Africa, 1.
12 Peacock, Victimology in Africa, 199.
13 Statistics South Africa, Victims of Crime survey, 2014/ 2015.
14 Omar, National Crime Prevention Strategy, 1.
15 South African Police Service (SAPS), Annual report for 2018/2019.
16 Ibid.
17 Mabotja, SAPS losing fight against crime, 5.
18 Statistics South Africa, Victims of Crime survey, 2014/ 2015.
19 Wegner et al., Occupations of Gangs, 1.
20 Ibid.
21 Geldenhuys, ‘Street Gangs’, 18–25.
22 Geldenhuys, ‘Gang problem’, 30–5.
23 Geldenhuys, ‘Prison gangs’, 10–7.
24 Ali and Naylor, ‘Intimate Partner Violence’, 373–82.
25 Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, 6.
26 Gender Links for equality and justice, To reduce GBV, 1.
27 Crime Statistics, South Africa, 2015/2016.
28 Kalideen, How to Curb Spouse Murders, 8.
29 Govender, ‘Motives for Intra-Familial Murders’, 73–88.
30 South African Police Service (SAPS), Annual report for 2018–2019.
31 Govender, Managing Security Information, 105.
32 Salomane, Community Policing Forum, 26–9.
33 Du Plessis and Louw, ‘The Tide is Turning’, 11.
34 Pheiffer, Local Government in Prevention, 150.
35 Burger, No-man’s Land, 1–10.
36 U.S. Department of Justice, Weed and Seed, 1.
37 Govender, ‘Strategies to Combat Organised Crime’, 120–36.
38 Hancock, Community, Crime and Disorder, 105.
39 Govender, Managing Security Information, 53.
40 Hubschle and van der Spuy, ‘Organised Crime and Law’, 319–34.
41 Rosenbaum, ‘Neighborhood Watch’, 103–34.
42 Wycoff and Skogan, Community Policing in Madison, 10.
43 Cooke-Scott, ‘Community Policing in Ontario’, 120–46.
44 South African Police Service Act 1995 (Act 68 of 1995).
45 Landman and Liebermann, ‘Planning Against Crime’, 21–6.
46 Steinberg, ‘Sector Policing that Works’, 27–31.
47 Mashiloane, The Use of Intelligence, 267.
48 Cele, Minister of Police Budget Speech, 2019, paragraph 7.
49 Rosenbaum and Lurigio, ‘Community Policing Reform’, 303–4.
50 Nyanya, Community policing to prevent crime, 94.
51 Sarre, ‘Community Policing, Themes for South Africa’, 5–10.
52 SAPS launches community policing, 2018, 1.
53 Rosenbaum and Lurigio, ‘Community Policing Reform’, 299–314.
54 OSCE, Guidebook on Democratic Policing, 28.
55 Ibid.
56 African News Agency, Crime stabilising Cape Metro, 1.
57 Shearing, ‘Making South Africans Safe’, 1–11.
58 Ngidi, 'Cure Violence' in Schools, paragraph 1.
59 Prinsloo, ‘Risk factors’, 41–57.
60 Ibid.
61 Mashiloane, The Use of Intelligence, 267.
62 Cleveland, Community Mini Stations, 1–5.
63 Rosenbaum and Lurigio, ‘Community Policing Reform’, 305.
64 Nyathi, Ubuntu in South Africa, 1.