The Safer South Africa Foundation launched a national safety initiative – the Communities and Justice Programme in Kimberley.
THE SAFER South Africa Foundation (SSAF) launched a national safety initiative – the Communities and Justice Programme (CJP) in Kimberley.
SSAF CEO and retired SAPS commissioner Riah Phiyega said 200 pupils from Tetlanyo High School and Emang Mmogo Secondary School had enrolled in the CJP.
“These youths will join over 100,000 participants in preventing and fighting crime in conjunction with the various arms of the criminal justice system such as the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, Correctional Services, the South African Human Rights Commission and regional traffic departments.”
She added that the project bridged the gap between communities and the criminal justice system by giving youths an opportunity to interact with law-enforcement practitioners to improve relationships, foster trust and boost community confidence in the criminal justice system.
“The CJP promotes the understanding of individual rights and obligations as well as to help the youth realise that crime does not pay.
“In collaboration with the Banking Association South Africa, the programme teaches youths to be financially savvy and to break the poverty cycle, without resorting to criminality.”
Phiyega added that the CJP also ran the SAF’s annual #Youth4SaferSouthAfrica debate and leadership competition.
“For the past four years, this initiative has trained nearly 1,000 learners in the art of public speaking aimed at equipping our future leaders to apply critical thinking and articulate themselves well enough to present new ideas in tackling real-world issues.”
Northern Cape acting provincial co-ordinator Walter Mashiya added that crime prevention was a long-term commitment and the CJP would assist in the fight against crime.
