New initiatives to combat social violence and crime in Nelson Mandela Bay

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The Mandela Bay Development Agency and its partner, German Cooperation, have called on non profit organisations to come together as a unit to step up campaigns against social violence and crime in the Port Elizabeth.

The call was made at a workshop on Tuesday attended by various organisations including Families Against Drugs, Business Against Crime, the Department of Education and the Department of Safety and Liaison.

Organisations spoke openly about factors including education for the community and youth, parenting workshops as well as preventive strategies to combat crime and to engage with the youth the Metro.

Technical Advisor, Rene Uren says in terms of violence and crime prevention they would support capacity building for these NGO's.

"The purpouse of today was to bring the NGO's together to see what we can do jointly. That does not mean we have to do everything together, it is about finding the right combinations" she said.

Bryan Howard from Business Against Crime outlines some challenges that NPO's are faced with.

"Predominantly the quiet support from Government and the Ministries in the current environment is to antagonise and certainly not sufficiently supported. What the NPO sector is doing for government is making them look good and the reciprocity is simply lacking. What we expect out of this forum is to establish lasting relationships with other like minded organisations" he said.