Douglasdale Police officers and Community Policing Forum members together the Daily Bread Organisation and RSS Security (one of the sponsors) went to Witkoppen Primary School on Friday January 20, 2012 to hand out left over presents from the KyaSands Christmas Party to the learners.

Grade R, 2, 3, Foundation Phase and Special Needs learners all received a present, which had been sponsored by companies and individuals in the community.

Danielle Dooley

Two suspects were arrested by Warrant Officer Selwes Blomerus and Constable Bumba Grilo of the West Rand K9 Unit for possession of cocaine rocks at their home in Magaliessig, Fourways on November 18, 2011.

The West Rand K9 Unit followed a tip-off and went to the house in Magaliessig and conducted a full search. They found the drugs with a street value of around R1500 in a kitchen cupboard. The suspects a male aged 44 and a female aged 24 were arrested and taken to the holding cells at Douglasdale Police station.

They will appear in court on charges of possession of drugs. Drug users can face a sentence of 18 months to 2 years. – www.myfourways.co.za

Recent incidents of criminal activity that have occurred in the Kya Sands informal settlements have been largely incorrectly labelled as xenophobia. Commencing on the night of Sunday 11th July, sporadic incidents of damage to private property and assaults have taken place resulting in considerable local and international media coverage. After initial concerns of the re emergence of xenophobic tendencies, it would appear that mostly criminal elements have taken advantage of the recent media concerns of post world cup xenophobia. At the time of the compiling of this article there have been no known fatalities and only a relatively small number of injuries resulting from such disturbances.

From the moment the unrest began, the Douglasdale SAPS backed by considerable support from SAPS Province and the SAPS Air Wing, have maintained a strong presence in Kya Sands patrolling the area and engaging in widespread community consultation and discourse with the objective of calming community members and identifying trouble makers and issues and, where appropriate, effecting arrests and conducting investigations.

By engaging the community at all levels and showing substantial pro activity, as well as the involvement of Government in the form of the MEC for Safety and Security as well as the MEC for Housing, amongst a number of NGOs and senior SAPS Commanders such as Major General Reddy and Brigadier Naidoo, and the Douglasdale Community Police Forum, at this stage it appears that by and large normality has been restored to Kya Sands.

A detailed threat assessment has been carried out and one of the interesting results was that most of the unrest occurred in areas where the overhead lighting supplied by City Council was inoperative.  The repair and activation of the overhead lighting has been given top priority by City Power and all lighting systems are operational again providing street lighting to the Kya Sands community.

Not to leave anything to chance, considerable numbers of South African National Defence Force personnel have been deployed in support of the SAPS and Metro Police units. Patrols and community engagement shall continue and no stone shall be left unturned to ensure the safety of all community members so that they may go about their daily lives in an ordinary manner and that the rule of law is maintained and respected by all community members.

Composed by Mark Hodgetts

Almighty Father God, with faith in You and in obedience to Your Word,
We offer You our prayers, petitions and thanksgiving for all people;
But especially for those in positions of authority and responsibility,
So that we may live tranquil and peaceful lives with holiness, honour and honesty,
Because this is good and pleasing to You.

We align our hearts today with our police and women,
So we ask that You fix Your focus on all law enforcement officers.

Our first petition is that they will be drawn to You and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour
so that they will live good and honourable lives, pleasing unto You.

Watch over them with great care and shield them with Your love.
Give Your angels charge over them and to keep them in all ways.
Gird them with Your armour and guard them with Your power.
When they have to enter danger, walk before them.
Keep watch with them as they go about their duties.
We ask You to protect them from all harm – physical, emotional and spiritual.

Lord grant them Your unfailing strength and noble valour in their daily assignments.
May they be bold and brave, but not reckless in carrying out their commission.

May Your Spirit be their Guide and Guard as they serve as sentries of our safety both day and night.

Give them cool heads and brave hearts.
Favour them with physical vigour, mental alertness, emotional fortitude and spiritual discernment.
Cause them to have caring compassion, common courtesy, uncommon courage and wise judgment.
Bless them with excellence in service and exceptional expertise in investigation.

May they be custodians of truth, sentinels of justice and destroyers of deeds of darkness,
uncovering and uprooting unrighteousness.
Make them the terror of criminals and the friend of children.
Let them be protectors of law-abiding citizens and ministers of mercy to those suffering distress.
May they be kind to the stranger, polite to the ignorant, strict with the lawbreaker
and rigid against temptations and bribery.
Preserve them from any enticement that may lead them into error.

O God, help them to be just and fair as they enforce the law with integrity
and without prejudice or preference to anyone.

We know that police work is not always easy, that is why we ask that You console them
when they may doubt whether anyone really cares and it may seem that they are taken for granted.
We esteem them for their selfless service to each of us, to our community and to our nation.
Assure them that so many do care and are grateful for their reassuring presence.

Uphold them with the knowledge that they are actually in Your service, endeavouring to keep the peace.

May they also experience Your peace, provision, prosperity and protection.

Heavenly Father, be their Refuge and their Shelter.
We ask that they may return safely at the end of each day’s service
to their loved ones and those who love them.

May they one day receive Your commendation: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
when they enter eternity.

We ask all of this for Your glory in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. 

Almighty Father God, with faith in You and in obedience to Your Word,
We offer You our prayers, petitions and thanksgiving for all people;
But especially for those in positions of authority and responsibility,
So that we may live tranquil and peaceful lives with holiness, honour and honesty,
Because this is good and pleasing to You.

We align our hearts today with our police and women,
So we ask that You fix Your focus on all law enforcement officers.

Our first petition is that they will be drawn to You and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour
so that they will live good and honourable lives, pleasing unto You.

Watch over them with great care and shield them with Your love.
Give Your angels charge over them and to keep them in all ways.
Gird them with Your armour and guard them with Your power.
When they have to enter danger, walk before them.
Keep watch with them as they go about their duties.
We ask You to protect them from all harm – physical, emotional and spiritual.

Lord grant them Your unfailing strength and noble valour in their daily assignments.
May they be bold and brave, but not reckless in carrying out their commission.

May Your Spirit be their Guide and Guard as they serve as sentries of our safety both day and night.

Give them cool heads and brave hearts.
Favour them with physical vigour, mental alertness, emotional fortitude and spiritual discernment.
Cause them to have caring compassion, common courtesy, uncommon courage and wise judgment.
Bless them with excellence in service and exceptional expertise in investigation.

May they be custodians of truth, sentinels of justice and destroyers of deeds of darkness,
uncovering and uprooting unrighteousness.
Make them the terror of criminals and the friend of children.
Let them be protectors of law-abiding citizens and ministers of mercy to those suffering distress.
May they be kind to the stranger, polite to the ignorant, strict with the lawbreaker
and rigid against temptations and bribery.
Preserve them from any enticement that may lead them into error.

O God, help them to be just and fair as they enforce the law with integrity
and without prejudice or preference to anyone.

We know that police work is not always easy, that is why we ask that You console them
when they may doubt whether anyone really cares and it may seem that they are taken for granted.
We esteem them for their selfless service to each of us, to our community and to our nation.
Assure them that so many do care and are grateful for their reassuring presence.

Uphold them with the knowledge that they are actually in Your service, endeavouring to keep the peace.

May they also experience Your peace, provision, prosperity and protection.

Heavenly Father, be their Refuge and their Shelter.
We ask that they may return safely at the end of each day’s service
to their loved ones and those who love them.

May they one day receive Your commendation: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
when they enter eternity.

We ask all of this for Your glory in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.