Background of Area | Project Overview | Community Meeting | The Way Forward | ALL MULTIMEDIA

Through the process of civic mapping, our group identified some key issues within these three neighbourhoods. Most of the residents do not feel that crime is a problem, especially in West Hill and Hill 60 - student digs are the main targets of crime. However, even though this is the general consensus among the residents, they still hide behind high walls, electric fences, and depend largely on Hi-Tech for security. This has resulted in a loss of community and a sense of isolation – both within the neighbourhoods themselves as well as within the larger Grahamstown community. 

Our group chose to focus on the psyche of crime, and aimed to “break the barricades” that exist between these areas and the larger Grahamstown area. As a group, we aimed to make these communities aware of the impact that crime has on their lives. We wanted them to realise that while they may not be victims of crime themselves, the way in which they respond to crime in general has an impact on their lives as well as on the lives of others. We aimed to try and break down the walls which isolate them from the rest of the town. 

Our media productions were produced with these aims in mind. Our writers produced six rich features which included ways in which these three communities could get involved in outreach projects in the township areas; brought their attention to white-collar crime occurring in their neighbourhoods; and which contained tips for preventing crime by cultivating a good relationship with other residents in their areas.

Our designers also created an online blog showcasing all our work, which will continue to serve these communities. A member of Hill 60 has offered to update the blog on a regular basis – adding phone numbers and email addresses of residents as well as reporting on any crime which occurs. 

All our media outputs served to educate and involve these communities, and paved the way for the formulation of solutions to the problems we identified, as well as initiating conversation between the residents and providing a forum for the continuation of such conversation.