A former policeman, Zithulele Tshulane, helped his community to form a forum for security protection. Ask anyone in his community and they will tell you Tshulane is aggressively against crime. He wiped off many junkies who were robbing people and breaking into people’s homes. They’re also very happy about the security protection he has now provided for the people as crime has risen once again. I kindly requested an interview with him and he generously invited me into his house.

Muzikhona Mngadi: What’s your main reason for organising the security forum?

Zithulele Tshulane: For the past few months, it’s well known the high crime on the pension day. Elderly people have been complaining about youngsters who are junkies have been breaking into their houses, threatening to stab them with their knives. Most of these elderly people are vulnerable and living alone with no one to protect them.

There’s also been robberies in the taverns and spaza shops. They have no security because they have no budget for them. That’s also need to stop. Many of us are suffering as we depend on those stores to buy our goods.

Muzikhona Mngadi: How helpful can the forum be to the community?

Zithulele Tshulane: The elderly will feel safer and not have the need to worry about the junkies. Also they (junkies) might decrease and the high level of crime will be low. Also, the entrepreneurs will no longer suffer about the loss of business. This forum will help this community in many ways including to put an end to all the abusive men in their homes. There’s been incidents and women ending in hospitals. People in the community will have help whenever they need it.

Muzikhona Mngadi: Are you benefiting from the community from organising the forum security?

Zithulele Tshulane: This forum had created job opportunities for the people in the community. Many unemployed had benefited from it. Store owners also benefited. There will be no more break in and looting.

Muzikhona Mngadi: Personally to yourself, have you also benefited yes ?

Zithulele Tshulane: Well, the securities must be paid for keeping the community safe and the little fee from every house helps to pay their salaries. Also, I have no sponsor for this forum. It all coming from my pocket, so the little profit I receive helps me to maintain the standards of my business.

Muzikhona Mngadi: What negatives and positives impact will result from this security forum?

Zithulele Tshulane: I can say the streets will be clean. The houses will be safer than before. The crime will decrease in our community. People will have someone to turn to if they have a problem. And for the junkies unfortunately they will get a lot of painful whooping for punishment. If it’s a high crime then jail it has to be. They might be some problems if they’ll be lack of payment from the people, which can ruin the budget of the business , but I have been doing some planning for back up if such incidents happens.

Muzikhona Mngadi: The whooping punishment is appropriate and not violating people’s right?

Zithulele Tshulane: It’s the only language these junkies understand. It’s the best action to make them afraid from thinking doing anything stupid. Jail had become a home for them, but they will never be comfortable with the whooping. It’s won’t be brutal, but a lesson. A painful lesson to wish they’d never done criminality.

Muzikhona Mngadi: How long will the security forum serve the community?

Zithulele Tshulane: We will see how the first six months works out. If there’s a difference and people in community are also supportive then I should extended the contracts to one year. If it all work faster than I expected by making a huge change then probably my services might not be needed anymore, but we will see how it goes in the process.