Local neighbourhood safety volunteers have put a call to residents to support volunteer patrollers.
This was highlighted at a community meeting held on Friday 27 July, which was arranged by the Surrey Estate Neighbourhood Patrol (SENP).
SENP is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) and the meeting was chaired by its chairperson, Yasien Regal.
Regal says the meeting was aimed at drawing a clear picture of their needs as patrollers.
It sought to motivate residents to show more support to the cause as the patrollers have a wide range of challenges that affect their work.
“There is a wave escalation of crime and we have a lack of resources and that has made us to realise that we are not effective in terms of resources,” he says.
Some of the challenges include the costs involved in patrolling.
Some of the financial issues are brought on by the cost of fuel for patroller vehicles.
The patrollers are paid a monthly stipend.
Their group of patrollers consists of more than 20 members.
The patrollers have also been under attack and Regal says they feel they do not have enough members.
He further urged residents to mobilise and increase the support so they can intensify their resources.
He added: “The more money we have, the more we can increase our resources – and that can be achieved if all the people can make the contribution, which would also mean we reduce the amount people pay.”
He says this group has been serving the community for the past three years, while SENP has been in existence in the community for more than 20 years.