As crime concerns continue to grow in some suburbs in Bulawayo, residents are increasingly stepping in to protect their neighbourhoods through organised community patrols.
The patrols, often coordinated through neighbourhood watch committees, are working alongside the Zimbabwe Republic Police to monitor suspicious activity and report criminal behaviour.
While many residents say these initiatives are helping to deter crime, questions remain about how effective and sustainable community patrols really are.
In suburbs such as Pumula, Nketa and Burnside, theft, house break-ins and other criminal activities have become a growing concern over the past few years. In response, some neighbourhoods have revived patrol teams that move around the area at night watching out for unusual or suspicious movements.
A neighbourhood watch member in Nketa, Zwelitsha Moyo, said their committee was formed when criminal activities escalated in the area, prompting residents to act.
“People were losing household items through break-ins while others were being attacked on their way home from work, so residents decided to introduce the patrols to discourage opportunistic criminals who often come alive under the cover of darkness,” said Moyo.
He said there was a significant reduction in criminal activities after patrols were introduced, adding that police commended the group for its efforts in curbing crime.
“Before we patrol, we often go to our police base to notify officers about our patrol. We register our presence and they sometimes call us to alert us if there is a crime scene that we need to attend,” he said.
However, Moyo said the team faces several challenges, particularly during the rainy season.
“We do not have the proper clothing to allow us to patrol in the rain, which makes it almost impossible for us to play our role effectively,” he said.
He added that the neighbourhood watch team also lacks consistent support and appreciation from residents.
“It would be nice to get recognition from our community and leaders because it is not easy to leave your house and patrol at night without any form of incentive from the community we are protecting. Our community is supposed to contribute US$2 towards the committee, but very few households are doing so,” said Moyo.
A resident from Pumula suburb, Givemore Mangena, echoed similar sentiments, saying the visibility of patrollers has helped deter petty crime and created a sense of community vigilance.
“Community patrols are relatively effective because incidents of theft, burglary and disorderly behaviour, particularly in Pumula Old and peri-urban areas such as St Peters and Mazwi Village, have significantly reduced compared to previous years,” said Mangena.
He said the neighbourhood watch initiative is relevant because residents are the eyes and ears of the community and can assist by reporting suspicious activities and supporting crime prevention efforts.
However, Mangena pointed out several challenges affecting the initiative.
“Patrollers need transport such as a car or bicycles, torches and other equipment needed for security. Residents also need to fully participate in patrols because you often find that only a few people are covering a large area,” he said.
Mangena said the lack of interest among residents in participating in the initiative is due to several reasons.
“Some residents do not participate because they fear retaliation from criminals, while others lack motivation because this is voluntary work and there are no incentives. Some people expect a form of appreciation while others are simply unaware of the importance of participating in such initiatives,” he said.
A Burnside resident, Thubelihle Dube, said their neighbourhood watch team has been working tirelessly to combat crime in the area as it has adequate resources.
“Before the committee was formed we used to have a lot of issues, including copper cable theft cases being reported, but they have since declined,” she said.
Dube said the committee has managed to improve response times after purchasing a vehicle using funds contributed by residents.
“Our committee is effective because we have a vehicle that was bought through residents’ contributions. This allows us to respond swiftly and timeously to panic calls,” she said.
However, she noted that participation by some residents is discouraged by fear of confronting armed criminals, while others rely on their private security services.
“Not everyone is part of the initiative. To join, one is required to pay US$20 with a monthly subscription fee of US$10. However, the security patrols still respond to calls from non-members even though they do not contribute towards the resources needed to support the initiative,” she said.
Dube encouraged residents to participate in neighbourhood watch initiatives, saying this would make the police’s work easier.
“Residents should assist the police through community policing because it is not possible for the police to be in our communities all the time. If residents are involved, it makes the job of the police much easier,” she said.
According to police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, community patrols have helped improve the flow of information between residents and the police, making it easier to respond quickly to incidents.
“Under the Home Officers Scheme, a specific police officer is assigned to a particular residential area. The home officer becomes the direct link between the police and the community. Neighbourhood watch committees work closely with the home officer by sharing information on suspicious activities, crime trends and security concerns,” she said.
She said the committees have helped reduce crime in certain areas through vigilance and cooperation with the police.
“In Entumbane, members of the neighbourhood watch committee apprehended a suspect for unlawful entry and the accused was later sentenced to two years in prison. In Mzilikazi, they apprehended a suspect for possession of dangerous drugs, leading to the discovery of 32 sachets of khat, one 100ml bottle of Broncleer and 100ml of Astrapain. The matter was referred to the CID Drugs and Narcotics unit for further investigations,” she added.
Insp Msebele said several other arrests were made over the past six months through cooperation between the police and the public.
“Crime prevention is not the responsibility of the police alone but requires active participation of residents, community leaders and organisations. When communities support neighbourhood watch committees and participate in crime prevention programmes, it becomes easier to detect criminal activities early and maintain peace and security,” she said.
Despite the challenges, most residents believe community patrols remain an important part of keeping neighbourhoods safe. They represent a growing sense of responsibility among residents determined to protect their communities.
Whether these efforts will continue to expand or fade over time will depend on how communities, police and local leaders work together to strengthen the initiatives. For many in Bulawayo, however, the message is clear: when communities are alert and organised, crime becomes harder to hide.
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