Anti-crime cards spark racism row

Decades after the controversial dompas was scrapped, a similar system has been resurrected in the Western Cape town of Worcester.

The green cards, introduced by a sector of the Worcester Community Policing Forum to stem escalating crime in affluent areas, have divided the town and caused racial tension.

Many gardeners and handymen working in suburbs such as Meiringspark, Rouxpark and Panorama have been issued with the cards, which bear their photograph and personal details. People looking for employment are also issued with the cards to make it easier for homeowners to identify legitimate job hunters.

People who cannot produce a card are treated with suspicion and, though not prevented from entering an area, they are monitored closely.

The cards appear to be issued to only black and coloured people.

Residents in the suburbs, who did not want to be named, said the green card system had helped reduce crime.

"We don't want to call the neighbourhood watch unnecessarily when we see strangers lurking in the area. If we see the green card, we know these people either work here or are looking for a job. It was implemented to ensure the area is safer," said one man.

But local councillor Colin Wilschut said people were hiding behind the excuse that the system was in the interest of safety.

"We in the coloured area are the biggest victims of crime. But we cannot implement something like that. Yet it is the white people making all the noise," he said.

"This system is being operated exactly like the dompas system did. If you show your green card, you are allowed to be in certain areas," Wilschut said.

An angry resident objected to the insinuation that the system was racist and to The Times speaking to employees who had been issued with the cards.

"I care about my employees and those who work in the area, I am not racist," he said. "In two weeks we had five burglaries and only one of those took place at night.

"It upsets me that people are calling us racist. First, we are protecting ourselves. Then we are helping police identify criminal elements," he said,

Denzel Charlies, who has been a gardener for close to a decade, said he proudly wore his green card, which had been issued in March last year.

"This isn't a dompas. This is to help police and keep the criminals away. I thank God that I have this job. The people here are good to me," he said.

Others are desperate to get a card so they can look for work.

But DA councillor Jolande Schneider said: "I am against the implementation of the green card if it is for the wrong reasons - that would include to limit people of colour in the white areas .

"If it is for safety reasons then I think whites should carry the same cards in the coloured and black areas," she said.

Guido Opperman, chairman of the Worcester Community Policing Forum, said a preliminary investigation showed police conducted background checks and took fingerprints before a card was issued.

"We have to find the facts and establish if there is potential discrimination," said Opperman. "The forum completely condemns even the potential of discrimination."

He said he was to meet relevant stakeholders.

Western Cape community safety MEC Dan Plato said he had made inquiries about the situation but was still deciding whether to investigate.

"I talked predominantly to coloured people and they say the system is not racist. They say people are taking this out of proportion," said Plato.

"The card is a reference card for work only."