SAPS veterans step up to support a Kimberley community stalwart

A GROUP of Northern Cape police veterans turned a routine reunion into something far more meaningful this weekend when they rallied together to support one of their long-standing community partners.

Led by Major-General Johnny Besnaar, the deputy provincial commissioner for Policing, the 1990 Maleoskop Training Institute intake gathered in Kimberley on Saturday, September 6, not only to reconnect but also to make a difference. After their quarterly meeting at the Horseshoe Inn, the 30-strong group joined forces with the Kimberley station commander, Brigadier Nicholas Mtongana, and community safety organisations to deliver food hampers and financial support to a Florianville family in need.

Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane said that the beneficiary was Debbie Swartz, 63, a familiar figure in Kimberley’s crime-prevention circles. Through her tireless work with Women Against Crime and the Community Policing Forum, she has been an integral part of building safer neighbourhoods alongside the SAPS. On this occasion, it was the police and their partners who gave back, recognising her years of service.

The initiative also drew in members from Social Crime Prevention, the Community Policing Forum, Kimberley Safety Participants, and Women Against Crime.

Major-General Besnaar said the gesture demonstrated how the role of the SAPS stretches beyond simply enforcing the law, but also involves working to build trust with communities, addressing broader safety concerns, and creating an environment where people feel supported and secure.