AFTER noticing the reality of high crime levels in Kuyga, Greenbushes, Kolekile Calana established the crime prevention non-profit organisation, Khuseleka, and, with the support of Kabega Park Police Station Community Police Forum, can provide the community with safety.
While serving as the treasurer at Kabega Park Police Station CPF between 2005 to 2009, and as the secretary from 2014 to 2019, Calana, who is the founder and chairperson of Khuseleka, was exposed to raw data and high crime levels in Kuyga and therefore felt the need to safeguard the community.
With the support of the Kabega Park Police Station CPF, under the leadership of chairperson, Tim Hendricks, and deputy chairperson, Monty Uren, the organisation began patrols in Kuyga in July 2019. However, due to lack of resources and a shortage of volunteers, they were only able to patrol in a part of the area.
According to Calana, Khuseleka, which translates to “feel protected”, was a crime prevention project which focused on street patrols, crime awareness, crime prevention, victim support and youth development.
“We established this organisation to allow the community to get involved in the fight against crime in Kuyga and to support our youth through our various programmes to help shape their own future,” said Calana.
“During our patrols, we go into each street and monitor all suspicious people and activities, report these to the police officers on duty and call for assistance if needed. We wish to patrol Kuyga and encourage more volunteers in different parts of our community to take part.”
The organisation’s victim support services ensure that victims of crime in the area receive counselling. They also ensure that victims report crime at the police station and follow up on the progress of their case.
Furthermore, they provide youth development in the area and plan to offer youth engagement programmes to shift and refocus the youth away from drugs and alcohol, dropping out of school, peer pressure and teenage pregnancy.
The organisation’s crime prevention services plan to work together with other stakeholders to educate the community on crime prevention tactics to move the community from a reactive to a more proactive prevention role.
Apart from the various services offered by the organisation, in May this year they initiated a winter season soup kitchen to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even though we plan to host our soup kitchen as a yearly programme we are looking into other methods of providing a meal to those in need. This year’s soup kitchen was widely supported as the need for food in the community is great,” said Calana.
To embark on more projects that are needed in the community, the organisation hopes to obtain an office building to work from.
In the future, Calana hopes his organisation will continue to play a pivotal role in the safety and progress of the youth in Kuyga.
