The Safer South Africa Foundation’s (SSAF) first quarter for 2024 has made significant strides as it continues to implement its Communities and Justice Programme (CJP) across the country.
SSAF chief executive officer (CEO) is retired National Police Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Riah Phiyega.
The organisation, amidst resource constraints, has successfully reached 906 learners from eight schools across seven provinces during the first three months of the year.
SSAF said this achievement bolsters the cumulative impact of the initiative, which has now touched the lives of over 41,000 learners across 408 schools since its inception in 2012.
Phiyega commended the efforts of the leadership team and emphasised the support from stakeholders within the criminal justice cluster.
"The successful completion of the first quarter, despite tight resources, is a testament to the resilience of the SSAF leadership team as well as the criminal justice cluster stakeholders that support us,” she said.
Phiyega said SSAF continues to work with schools in the Buffalo Flats, Duncan Village, Braelyn, and Scenery Park areas within the Buffalo City Metro Educational District in the Eastern Cape.
“In addition to these challenges, a cyberbullying trend is intensifying and requires urgent attention.
In Limpopo, the recent award ceremony to recognised learners who completed the CJP was bittersweet. The event was supposed to mark Brigadier Mahubu Seabi's inaugural community engagement as Limpopo's Provincial Coordinator for SSAF. However, it didn’t happen that way because Brigadier Seabi passed away earlier this year.
“We continue to send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. May his legacy live on through the impactful work we continue to do
“Walter Mashiya, SSAF’s Director of Community Outreach, stepped up to the plate, ensuring that the programme in Limpopo carried on seamlessly. We extend our gratitude to him for his dedication and leadership,” Phiyega said.
The organisation also recently concluded the implementation of the CJP in Gauteng, Free State and North West, focusing on engaging out-of-school youth.
This initiative, conducted in collaboration with Harmony Gold and Anglo American, aims to combat criminality within mining communities, specifically addressing issues related to illegal mining activities.
On Friday, May 3, 200 youth from Virginia in the Free State will be recognised for participating in the out-of-school at an award ceremony.
“The CJP stands as a beacon of hope, empowering individuals and communities to combat crime and build safer environments for all. SSAF remains committed to its mission of fostering a safer country, one school and community at a time,” Phiyega said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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