The Onder-Papegaaiberg Neighbourhood Watch is an accredited neighbourhood watch in Stellenbosch (WC024), Western Cape, South Africa. Accredited means that we are registered with the Department of Community Safety (DoCS) of the Western Cape. This also means that we can directly work with SAPS, receive financial support from the municipality (via its Law Enforcement Department) and DoCS (including torches, bibs, etc in a starter kit), plus receive training for our members to fulfill specific functions, like patrolling, and acting safely and legally when making a citizen's arrest, understanding the legal framework when combatting crime as a neighbourhood watch and more. We already have a very good relationship with our local private security companies, but to get their support on your property you need to be contracted with them, that is required by law since they are restrained from acting without a contract for your property.

What the neighbourhood watch does not do?

• It does not replace your personally contracted armed response.

• It does not provide armed response or replace the function of the police, private security companies and law enforcement.

• It does not have the powers of the police (in fact it is specifically restricted from performing police specific functions like everyone else in the public, for their safety and because NHW members are not trained for such functions, members are also not mandated to provide such services under the police act)

What does the neighbourhood watch do? 

Registered neighbourhood watch members have police clearance and can engage with SAPS, Community Police Forum, as well as participate in meetings of the Stellenbosch Safety Partnership through representatives, like the chairperson. These members are also bound by a code of conduct and could participate in various ways, like doing neighbourhood patrols, doing observation, maintaining fences, doing awareness programs to help people be more safe and participating in joint operations with SAPS. Members can receive training in self-defence, first aid, and other skills.

The Neighbourhood Watch is a method of developing close liaison between households in a neighbourhood, the local police and other relevant agencies. The aim of Neighbourhood Watch is to help you protect yourself and your property and to reduce the crime in your community through: improved home security, by reporting suspicious individuals and vehicles in the area (via the SOS group) and contribute to safety strategies by the police and other agencies and security companies.

A neighbourhood watch (NHW) must operate as the eyes and ears of the community it serves and must cooperate with the South African Police Service, (SAPS).

Because most of the members have families and full time employment, we encourage residents to continue to be the eyes and ears of the community and

report criminal activity in the community. Report suspicious vehicles / persons on the SOS WhatsApp group, report incidents to your private security company, Law Enforcement or SAPS.

In OPB NHW's case we also form part of the Stellenbosch Safety Partnership (the formal safety network, previously known as the SSI - see presentation here and which is organised by Stellenbosch Municipality, SAPS and other partners). The NHW also participates as a member of the Stellenbosch Community Police Forum, a liaison for SAPS with the public by elected members of the public.

This quote describes part of the purpose of the SSP
(From the older SSI presentation linked above, the following quote can be found:

“ I was sitting in a municipal council chamber, six months ago. It was packed. With policemen and councillors, traffic and protection services, local government officials, community policing forum and neighbourhood watch members, security companies, Ngo’s and more. Ostensibly, the conversation was all about safety issues –crime and gangs, drugs and danger. But it wasn’t really. If one looked around the cavernous room, one would see a system in motion, this town’s safety-eco-system. An immune system, just like the human body’s. The meeting was the Stellenbosch Safety Initiative (SSI)” “but if one watched, listened carefully enough, one would realise the real focus was reassessing their collective resilience. Their health of their relationships. The strength of their connective tissue. The renewed relevance of their consensus. And ultimately, the foundation of their collaboration: trust”.
Murray Williams . Department of community safety, Western Cape. Cape Argus.  10 April 2017. 

Further Information sites:

• Western Cape Government information about Neighbourhood Watches (NHWs)

• Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (Western Cape Department that coordinates NHWs)

• Code of conduct for neighbourhood watches

• OPB NHW Constitution

• Neighbourhood Watch Learner Guide