GEORGE NEWS - Alcohol and illicit substances significantly contribute to crime in the area.
This is according to minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, who spoke at the Garden Route District safety summit at the George Civic Centre on Tuesday 15 October.
This two-day workshop, that started on Tuesday, focused on the provincial needs and priorities (PNP) as well as a safety plan for the Garden Route.
"Communities within the Garden Route District Municipality are affected by murder, assault, robbery, burglary, sexual offences, gender-based violence, possession of dangerous weapons and malicious damage to property. Alcohol and illicit substances are significant contributors to these issues. It is incredibly important that discussions taking place over the next two days yield safety strategies and solutions which address these issues and ensure our safety, whether at home, work, on the road or elsewhere," he said.
Other topics that were discussed include the need for early warning systems and the implementation of a safety plan, analysis on crime trends and safety challenges, provincial and district safety priorities, and determination of PNPs.
Fritz said that more focus should be on the youth. "Safety is everybody's responsibility. Let's see how we can save them. Let's see how we can get involved with schools and stop children from joining gangs. They need to aspire to become something other than gangsters."
He also made reference to the successes they have had among school leavers through the Chrysalis Academy (CA).
"CA saved people who were on the brink of going in the wrong direction. You will not believe it is the same people that come out of there," he said.
CA is is an initiative of the Western Cape Provincial Government. It is a youth development academy that focuses on innovative youth development. It runs a three-month residential programme for youth aged 18 to 25 from across the Western Cape. These programmes include life skills, time outdoors, vocational and work readiness training as well as therapeutic care aimed at supporting youth at a psychosocial level.
This same programme is now being rolled out to schools for learners who are vulnerable to gangsterism, drugs and alcohol.
Feedback from the workshop will be included in a report that will be submitted to the national police minister, Bheki Cele.
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