Tokyo Masindi
The mission of the Gauteng Department of Community Safety is to enhance public safety in the province. This is achieved through monitoring and evaluating policing agencies’ effectiveness and efficiency, implementing and promoting social crime prevention initiatives, providing traffic management services, coordinating efforts in the criminal justice system, educating and empowering citizens on public safety issues, coordinating community safety initiatives, improving police-community relations, and determining community policing needs and priorities under the Constitution.
In line with this mission, communities across Gauteng are taking the initiative by participating in the social movement against crime. These initiatives include Community Policing Forums (CPFs), Youth Desks, Men as Safety Promoters, GBV Brigades, and more.
The Gauteng Youth Crime Prevention Desks are volunteer-based structures located at police stations within the province. These desks encourage and enable young people to actively participate in identifying the causes of youth violence and crime, and to collaborate in creating social crime prevention strategies for their communities.
Recognising that young people in South Africa are both victims and perpetrators of crime, the Youth Crime Prevention Desks (YCPDs) in Gauteng mobilise and involve young people in violence and crime prevention interventions. Mainly composed of youth aged 18 to 27, these volunteer-based structures work closely with relevant stakeholders to address youth violence and crime.
One of the core mandates of the Department is to foster working relations between the police and communities. Community Policing Forums (CPFs) play a crucial role in this aspect by bringing the police and the community together to address crime-related challenges collaboratively.
The Men as Safety Promoters (MASP) program is an initiative by the Gauteng Department of Community Safety aimed at combating crimes committed by men against women and children. This program provides another avenue through which communities can participate in the fight against crime.
Additionally, the department conducts crime awareness outreach programs through its communication services unit to educate communities about crime prevention efforts.
SOURCED FROM GPG WEBSITE.
