Orange Farm Patrollers Tackle Crime

A group of over 400 Orange Farm residents has taken it upon themselves to keep the streets of their community safe from violence by patrolling.

The group works closely with the Orange Farm Community Police Forum (CPF) to combat surging crime in the area with street vendors being the prime targets.

The patrollers and the CPF are involved in stop-and-searches and roadside frisks, the latest of which led to the discovery of knives and pangas - weapons that have become a dangerous trend in this community.

Even though Orange Farm is a very large community, it is served by only two police stations - namely the Orange Farm Police Station and the Poortjie Satellite Police Station.

The patrollers have sworn to give their best in helping the police keep the crime in their community at an all-time low.

Although there are several gangs in this community, they also have two well-known rival gangs - the 50s and 40s - who are constantly fighting for territory and, in the process, terrorising the community.

The majority of the people who are part of the community patrol are unemployed, and the organisation called Rape Alcohol Drug Abuse (RADA) provides them with food parcels and skills workshops that could help them find employment.