Residents from across Durbanville gathered at the Rose Garden recently for a community self-defence class that brought together people of all ages.The initiative, attended by teenagers, parents, young professionals and senior residents, was supported by Ward 21 councillor Theresa Uys, DA Branch Chairperson Charl van Blerk, and Ward 112 councillor Hendri Terblanche.
Van Blerk said the event highlighted the power of community collaboration, but also pointed to broader challenges facing the area. “Recent years have revealed collapsed DNA labs, under-resourced police stations, and shelters struggling to support survivors,” he said. “When data is delayed, justice is delayed, leaving nine out of ten rapists unpunished.”
The DA branch chairperson praised residents, volunteers and branch members from both wards for working together on practical safety initiatives. “These may seem small in isolation, but replicated across communities, they form a nationwide fabric of support and resilience,” van Blerk said.
He emphasised that safety comes not only from institutions, but from people choosing to act.”It’s about neighbours showing courage, communities offering dignity, and individuals refusing to be silent,” he said.
Van Blerk said the work would continue, with every act of community engagement strengthening the foundation. “Real change rarely happens all at once, but it always begins somewhere. This month, it began here, and it can only grow stronger from our collective resolve,” he said.
The self-defence classes are expected to continue as part of ongoing community safety initiatives in the area.
