We, the undersigned residents, parents, business owners, community leaders and concerned citizens of Jan Kempdorp, hereby raise our united voices against the ongoing failure of law-enforcement authorities to protect our community and uphold justice.

We sign this petition on behalf of the concerned residents and community structures of Jan Kempdorp to lodge a formal complaint regarding the repeated failure of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Office of the Public Prosecutor to execute their constitutional obligations in relation to crime prevention, investigation, and prosecution within our town.

Our community is experiencing a significant increase in crime, including regular house break-ins, theft, vandalism of property, and the targeting of vulnerable sites such as churches and schools. In many of these incidents, items such as copper pipes and household property are stolen.

The Gemeenskap Veiligheid Eenheid (GVE) frequently responds to these incidents and recover stolen goods. However, the following concerning patterns have been observed:

1.  SAPS is not visible in the community and fails to attend crime scenes.

2.  In cases where SAPS does attend, crime scenes are not investigated, and statements or evidence is not properly taken.

3.  Suspects are frequently released within hours or the next day, after charges being laid and without appearing in court.

4.  The Public Prosecutor often declines to prosecute, citing “insufficient evidence” or the absence of police investigation — failures that are the responsibility of SAPS, not the community.

5.  As a result, repeat offenders operate with impunity, and the same individuals are regularly found committing the same crimes again without consequence to them.

The combined failure of SAPS and the Public Prosecutor has created an environment where crime is systematically enabled, and the rights of law-abiding citizens are infringed. This situation erodes community safety, public confidence, and violates the constitutional mandate of these institutions.

We therefore request the intervention of the Public Protector to:

1.  Conduct a thorough investigation into the conduct, failures, and patterns of non-performance by SAPS Jan Kempdorp.
2.  Investigate the decisions and prosecutorial conduct of the Public Prosecutor assigned to Jan Kempdorp matters.
3.  Ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken to restore lawful, effective policing and prosecution in our community.
4.  Protect our community’s constitutional rights to safety, security, and fair administrative action.

We demand accountability. We demand safety. We demand justice. Jan Kempdorp deserves better!!