The CPF and SAPS would like to thank the Port Alfred public for a very law abiding festive season. This year there was far less serious crime reported. We posed the question as to why this could possibly be. Was it due to a higher policing visibility by the motorised squads, the mounted members or the many foot patrols around town? We don’t know, but the public were definitely aware of a zero-tolerance approach by law enforcement authorities.
A sad aspect of having visitors to our town is that a lot of them forget basic security measures. Items were stolen out of vehicles and when asked whether the vehicles’ doors were locked, the reply was either “no” or “I can’t remember”. Unfortunately some of these visitors put negative comments on Tripadvisor about Port Alfred. We are looking at new, additional ways of preventing crime taking place, especially over holiday periods.
Handouts
We appeal, once again, to the public not to give handouts.
An incident was reported where a young man asked a resident for food as she was about to enter her property. As she was entering her gate key code, the man made a note of the numbers.
A couple of days later, as shown on camera, this person entered the premises through the gate and stole a number of items.
Please don’t give in to confidence tricksters: you could be their next victim.
We have noticed an influx of wanderers with no fixed abode to our town. Some of them are drug addicts and some are people with criminals records.
If you want to be charitable and support a safer CBD, we ask that you make your donations to our new carguards in their BLUE bibs. They have been vetted by security systems to safely look after precincts.
No vetting has been done of the freelancers – often wearing yellow or orange bibs – and some make the areas they frequent unsafe.
Scammers
Over the festive season it was reported that residents received phone calls stating that their accounts were being hacked. The callers asked them to “IMMEDIATELY” change their account number to one given to them by the caller – a supposedly “safe” account number.
A couple of people fell for this scam and lost their money.
Please put the phone down. Don’t answer your phone when a call comes from a number you don’t recognise, and don’t engage with someone you don’t know, no matter how convincing they sound: it could cost you dearly.
And a reminder: don’t buy items that you have not seen from people you don’t know: scammers use social media to advertise items that don’t exist, often at a fantastic price. They convince would-be buyers that the only way to secure such a “good deal” is to pay upfront, immediately.
Fires
It is with great sadness that the CPF discussed the terrible fires that took place recently. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.
This unfortunate event has brought home a couple of things.
First, how wonderful many people are when there is a catastrophe. Second, how WhatsApp groups can both help and hinder progress.
With this latter problem in mind, a number of key role players have approached a Kenton forum to establish a group that will meet regularly to develop emergency strategies so that when there is a serious disaster anywhere on the Sunshine Coast, there will be an organised, coordinated area-wide response.
Serious fires are occurring with increasing frequency and we must be prepared.
Be part of the solution
In a few months, the Port Alfred CPF will be holding its annual general meeting. We are appealing to members of the public of all ages to please help your community by joining the CPF. The CPF exists to promote community safety by working closely with all security companies and the South African Police Service. We are not politically affiliated and do not allow bias to prejudice our work .We will in due course publish a notice specifying the time, date and place of the AGM.
-
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, January 22, 2026. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
