At the Annual City of Cape Town Neighbourhood Watch Awards Ceremony held on Saturday 22 November in the Council Chambers at the Civic Centre, the Melkbosstrand Neighbourhood Watch was honoured with the prestigious “Neighbourhood Watch Excellence Award” for Best Utilisation of Technology.
Their consistent, disciplined use of the app has resulted in 177 logged incidents and 1 021 on/off-related bookings, clearly demonstrating that the watch is not only active but strategic in leveraging digital tools to improve community safety outcomes.
The app enables seamless coordination between patrollers and partners, allowing the team to monitor trends, report suspicious activity instantly, and support the police and City’s law enforcement department with verified, time-stamped information. This digital discipline has made their patrols more visible, their responses faster, and their reporting more credible, according to the media release.
Award presented
The annual awards celebrate excellence, perseverance, and commitment by neighbourhood watches, which work in communities and closely with the City’s enforcement agencies. This year the awards drew more than 200 nominations for individuals and neighbourhood watches across the metropole in a number of categories.
The award was presented by Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith to the dedicated members who attended the event. Chair Rhine Barnes praised the collective effort of all volunteers, from those patrolling late into the night alongside local police to those providing essential behind-the-scenes support with their skills and expertise.
“This is a team effort by the community,” he said, recognising the crucial role every member plays in making Melkbosstrand safer.
Barnes also acknowledged the vital support of the City and ward councillor Paul Swart, crediting them with providing the technology and facilities that enable the neighbourhood watch to operate effectively.
He encouraged residents to join their local neighbourhood watch or start one where none exists. “It only requires a few hours a month to make a huge difference in the safety of your family and community,” Barnes said, urging greater community involvement in crime prevention.
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