As part of the ongoing Youth Month celebrations, Langa Police officers, the local Community Policing Forum (CPF) and various community stakeholders held a Sports Against Crime Tournament at Langa Stadium on Friday 13 June.
The plan was to take children away from the streets.
The tournament featured soccer and netball matches.
Five soccer teams the Langa Police Team, Langa Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum(SCPF) Team, Langa Teachers Team, Isilimela Comprehensive and Langa High School took part in the competition, while netball featured Langa Police Team and Langa Teachers.
Langa police station commander Col Noxolo Ntshiba described the event as a first of its kind. She said they decided to utilise sport to unite the community.
“We know sport is a universal thing. It can unite all races across the board. We also want people to know that officers and pastors are human beings as well. They mustn’t be scared of us or treat us differently,” explained Ntshiba.
Langa SCPF chair Siyabulela Tshatshu described the event as a plan to integrate the community.
He stated that social ills that are facing the community also affect them in the churches.
“As church leaders, we need to talk about our social problems in the church. We mustn’t just give sermons, let’s talk about what is happening in our communities. Sometimes some of the church leaders are also committing these problems.
“We have church leader who are committing crime, rape and gender-based violence etc,” said Tshatshu.
