City Safety. Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality`s Crime Reduction Strategy

This research paper by Sibusiso Masuku describes the development of a crime reduction strategy for the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (NMMM) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Supported by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Open Society Foundation, the project involved a crime audit to identify local safety challenges and capacity gaps, resulting in a strategy focused on partnerships, bylaw enforcement, and environmental design.

• A crime audit of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (NMMM) identified robbery and housebreaking as the most significant crimes, with robbery and assault being particularly prevalent in poorer areas, while housebreaking occurred across the entire metro. The audit also noted that high-profile robberies are concentrated in tourist areas and the inner city.
• The audit revealed significant gaps in public safety behavior and community engagement within the NMMM. Many residents avoid public spaces used for commuting and shopping due to fear, and a majority stay indoors to avoid victimization. Furthermore, there is low public participation in community policing forums and a lack of home security precautions.
• Youth in the NMMM are identified as both a source of information and a vulnerable group; criminal careers often begin at a young age with petty crimes, and children are believed to be involved in drug-related crimes, including those occurring at school. These behaviors are linked to schooling, socialisation, and parenting.
• The NMMM's capacity for crime reduction involves integrating safety considerations into various municipal functions. This includes using the safety and security business unit as the lead department, incorporating crime prevention into housing design and town planning, and utilizing traffic and bylaw enforcement to prevent crime.
• The final NMMM crime reduction strategy focuses on eight specific project areas: improving partnerships with role players, supporting law enforcement, deploying Community Based Volunteers at hotspots, stopping the theft of municipal resources, using CCTV, providing bylaw enforcement, and implementing social development and environmental design projects.

APA

Masuku, S. (n.d.). City Safety. Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality`s Crime Reduction Strategy. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-103-city-safety.-nelson-mandela-metro-municipalitys-crime-reduction-strategy-sibusiso-masuku

Chicago

Masuku, Sibusiso. City Safety. Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality`s Crime Reduction Strategy. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-103-city-safety.-nelson-mandela-metro-municipalitys-crime-reduction-strategy-sibusiso-masuku.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Masuku |first1=Sibusiso |title=City Safety. Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality`s Crime Reduction Strategy |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-103-city-safety.-nelson-mandela-metro-municipalitys-crime-reduction-strategy-sibusiso-masuku |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{masukundcity, author = {Masuku, Sibusiso}, title = {{City Safety. Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality`s Crime Reduction Strategy}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-103-city-safety.-nelson-mandela-metro-municipalitys-crime-reduction-strategy-sibusiso-masuku}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }