By Kotie Geldenhuys
Photos provided by Deirdré van Helsdingen

We are all quick to complain about the lack of services from municipalities and about the ongoing crime situation in the country. But what are we doing? Are we going to be or make the difference?

Many of our readers will be familiar with the broken windows theory which states that "visible signs of disorder and misbehaviour in an environment encourage further disorder and misbehaviour, leading to serious crimes". This principle was developed to explain the decay of neighbourhoods. In the early 1980s, Philip Zimbardo, a psychologist from the Stanford University, argued that no matter how rich or poor a neighbourhood, one broken window would soon lead to many more windows being broken: "One unrepaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing." Broken windows are a metaphor for any visible sign of disorder in an environment that goes untended. Fear levels among citizens increase when there is disorder which can lead to them withdrawing from the community and any participation in informal social control. Being forced to confront minor problems can have a huge influence on how people feel about their environment and particularly their sense of safety (Psychology Today, nd).

With the broken window theory in mind, Servamus spoke to Deirdré van Helsdingen, the Managing Director of the Community Caring Forum (CCF) Group in Moreletapark, Pretoria. Deirdré is one of those people who wants to be the difference in her community. Personally, I think that every town, suburb and neighbourhood needs a Deirdré.

Deirdré is a formidable businesswoman who ran a restaurant, boutique hotel and recruitment company, to name a few. In her daily comings and goings, she noticed a lot of deterioration around the country. Since Deirdré had grown up in Sasolburg in the Free State, a town that was awarded numerous times as the most beautiful town in the province, with plenty of green grass and water features, Deirdré decided that she was no longer willing to stay in a suburb that was deteriorating. "We can all complain, or we can stand up and make a difference. I decided to make a difference and after selling all my businesses, to do community work full-time," she told Servamus.

In 2018, a Non-Profit Company (NPC) was established with three directors. A non-profit company is "a company incorporated for public benefit or other objective relating to one or more cultural, social activities, communal or group interest" (CIPC, nd). During the same time, they also started the CCF group in Moreletapark. Not sure about how such a project should be funded, Deirdré approached Lucas Luckhoff and Danie Basson from the Hatfield City Improvement District (CID) (refer to the article published on p21) in Pretoria to help her with ideas. Lucas advised her to take hands with the management of CASI (Call All Stations Immediately), which is a panic app with countrywide coverage. Once activated, the CASI app broadcasts the person's location to all the nearest responding partners as well as the CASI 24-hour command centre that can track the person in real-time and assist the responder with the required information (CASI, nd).

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[This is an extract of an article that is published in Servamus: March 2023. If you are interested in reading more, send an e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or a WhatsApp to: 078 712 1745 to find out what you have to do. Ed.]