29/08/2026
🚨 IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE SHALLCROSS COMMUNITY — PLEASE READ IN FULL 🚨
Dear Shallcross Community,
Please take a few minutes to read this message from beginning to end. It is important.
On Tuesday, the Shallcross Community Police Subforum (Shallcross CPSF) met with security providers, law enforcement and our CPSF patrollers to discuss the recent increase in crime.
The discussion was honest, and one thing became very clear:
WE CANNOT FIGHT CRIME WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
Security companies, SAPS and the CPSF can patrol, monitor and respond, but if we do not address the opportunities criminals are exploiting within our own community, we will continue fighting the same battle.
🚗 VEHICLE THEFT
Vehicle theft has increased, and we are seeing vehicles moving through our streets and sometimes sitting stationary for extended periods.
Some may be legitimate transport operators, while others may be scouting for opportunities.
We therefore ask residents to support properly identifiable and compliant transport operators and to be aware of what is happening around your homes.
Every small action helps.
🚶 PEOPLE & LOCAL BUSINESSES
We also see people walking through our streets at all hours.
Some are legitimate visitors, customers supporting local and home-run businesses, or people receiving assistance. Others may be looking for opportunities to commit crime.
To our local businesses and home-run businesses:
PLEASE STAND WITH US.
We support you and want your businesses to succeed.
A safe, clean and well-maintained community attracts more business.
Working with the CPSF and security structures is therefore not only about crime prevention — it is in your own business interest.
Let's work together to make Shallcross a place where people feel safe to live, shop and do business.
🕊️ FAITH-BASED & SPIRITUAL ORGANISATIONS
We also appeal to our faith-based and spiritual organisations.
If you operate within Shallcross, you are part of the Shallcross community.
We would love to see greater involvement in community safety, youth development, outreach and assisting vulnerable people.
There are people on our streets who are lost and need guidance, support and hope.
Let's work together to help them find their way back to their families, their purpose and, for those who seek it, back to God and their faith.
You don't need to become a security organisation.
Become a partner in rebuilding our community.
📦 UNWANTED ITEMS & DONATIONS
We also need to address something residents often ask after a burglary:
“How did nobody see my stolen items leaving my home?”
The problem is simple:
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WAS STOLEN AND WHAT WAS LEGITIMATELY GIVEN AWAY?
Every day, people walk our streets carrying bags, boxes, appliances, clothing and other items.
When patrollers stop to check, they are often told:
“A resident gave it to me.”
We understand the desire to help people, but this makes it extremely difficult to distinguish stolen property from legitimate donations.
We need to find a community solution — such as a designated donation/drop-off point with identifiable tags, or another simple system for identifying legitimately donated items.
This isn't about stopping generosity.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING GENEROSITY SAFER.
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❗ NOW WE ASK YOU:
We constantly hear:
“What is SAPS doing?”
“What is the CPSF doing?”
“What are the security companies doing?”
Today, we ask:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
What is your household doing?
What is your business doing?
What is your organisation doing?
What is your faith-based or spiritual organisation doing?
Because crime prevention belongs to all of us.
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🏘️ TAKE OWNERSHIP OF SHALLCROSS
If you see a broken streetlight — report it.
Water leak — report it.
Dumping — report it.
Suspicious activity — report it.
Unsafe or neglected areas — work with your neighbours to improve them.
Don't wait for somebody else.
START WITH YOUR STREET.
---
🔴 WE HAVE ALREADY PROVEN WHAT IS POSSIBLE
People laughed when we said we would build a fully electronic CPSF office.
WE DID IT.
People laughed when we said we would secure our entrances with LPR cameras.
WE DID IT.
People laughed when we said we would acquire our own CPSF vehicle.
WE DID IT.
Now we need to achieve something even bigger:
A CHANGE IN COMMUNITY CULTURE.
Some people may be uncomfortable with this message.
That's okay.
Somebody needs to say it — not to offend, but to make us think and act.
Our volunteers give their time.
Our patrollers spend hours on the roads.
Security companies spend money deploying resources.
There is only so much that a small group of people can do.
WE NEED YOU TO STAND WITH US.
Take advantage of good leadership while it is here.
Support those who are willing to do the work.
And don't wait until you become a victim before taking an interest in your community.
❤️ SHALLCROSS IS OUR COMMUNITY.
Not the CPSF's.
Not SAPS's.
Not the security companies'.
Not the businesses'.
Not the faith-based organisations'.
OURS.
So let's stop asking:
“What are they doing?”
And start asking:
“WHAT CAN I DO?”
Please read this message again. Discuss it in your homes, with your neighbours, businesses, organisations and faith-based communities.
🚨 THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW.
SAFER. CLEANER. STRONGER. UNITED SHALLCROSS.
SHALLCROSS CPSF
Shallcross Community Police Subforum
Together we prevent. Together we protect. Together we build. 🤝🚨
Shallcross CPSF
