The Durbanville CBD Watch, an initiative affiliated with AfriForum, continues to pioneer a proactive, data-driven approach to manage street people in the Durbanville Central Business District (CBD).
In partnership with Durbanville police, City of Cape Town’s law enforcement department and Mould Empower Serve (MES), a joint operation was conducted on the evening of Friday 17 October to profile and assist people living on the streets — marking another milestone in this coordinated urban safety and social outreach model.
The evening operation brought together a multi-disciplinary team representing all key stakeholders, including senior police officers, law enforcement officers, MES social support staff, Durbanville CBD Watch members, as well as security officers of CDF and Titanium armed response units to ensure the safety of social workers during the operation.
Outstanding warrants
Fingerprints were taken of the street people encountered and the person was profiled, allowing the police to identify people with outstanding warrants.
MES introduced social assistance through Mi-Change vouchers to provide both immediate relief and a gateway to further support.
“For the first time, we saw mobile fingerprinting in action,” said Richard Downing, chair of the Durbanville CBD Watch.
“This ensures that our interventions are both compassionate and accountable — combining safety, data, and social responsibility in one framework,” he says.
Proactive model
The Durbanville CBD Watch model, which has been launched in 2023, has evolved from reactive enforcement into a proactive and evidence-based system built on four key pillars.
“This includes monitoring — regular, coordinated patrols maintain real-time insight into the situation of displaced persons across the CBD; collaboration – partnerships with police, law enforcement and MES have been strengthened,” Downing says.
“The lastest operation was personally supported by Col Gonum Munsamy, station commander, and Capt Berenice Cloete, commander of visible policing,” he says.
“It also includes data and profiling. Systematic profiling allows targeted follow-ups — whether for social reintegration or law enforcement intervention. It also includes integrated assistance and social aid, such as Mi-Change vouchers, which is delivered alongside enforcement efforts, ensuring a balanced humanitarian approach.
“This coordinated system has already delivered tangible results,” Downing says.
“Over the past 24 months, the number of displaced persons sleeping in the Durbanville CBD has been reduced by 50%, demonstrating the effectiveness of consistent monitoring and collaboration,” he says.
Sustaining safety and dignity
“The Durbanville CBD Watch continues to refine this integrated model — one that respects human dignity while maintaining public safety and order. You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” addsDowning.
“Through responsible profiling, data sharing, and cooperation, we’re not just managing the problem — we’re solving it together.
“The success of this operation reaffirms the value of cross-sector collaboration, proving that security and compassion can operate hand in hand to create safer, cleaner, and more caring urban spaces,” he says.
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