After years of frustration over the nondelivery of basic services, an Indian township near Vereeniging has stopped relying on its local government for anything.A 24-hour security patrol, community clinic and free mobile clinic, the fixing of potholes and the building of speed bumps are just some of the services the community of Roshnee, about 50km south of Johannesburg, now provides for itself.Community leaders do not even know who the ward councillor for the area is.The township was recognised by its Sedibeng municipality for being the least reliant on government resources. The people of Roshneestill pay municipal rates, and for water and electricity.story_article_left1The Roshnee Neighbourhood Watch, a nonprofit organisation run and funded by members of the community, was started five years ago when violent crime was on the increase.It began with community members patrolling the area at night as part of a community policing forum.As more community members participated, a decision was taken to fence off the entire township. The two entry and exit points are monitored by a 24-hour patrol car and there are security cameras at all strategic points in the town.In cases of emergency, residents get a faster response by calling the neighbourhood watch than by calling the police.Hossein Saloojee, a spokesman for Roshnee Neighbourhood Watch, said the initiative had been born of frustration."We depend on the police for nothing ... we depend on the municipality for nothing. We don't even bother asking [the municipality] for anything any more," he said.Saloojee said police inefficiency had prompted residents to hire armed guards, buy their own patrol cars and secure the area.In the past year, the organisation has spent almost R200,000 to fix potholes and, after several fatal hit-and-run incidents, has taken its roadworks programme even further.Saloojee said the community - having waited for two years for the municipality to install speed bumps - decided to erect their own after three children were killed by speeding cars. The community centre has a boardroom and a counselling room for drug counselling and we will employ a full-time counsellor The community has spent about R500,000 on more than 50 speed bumps in the area."We look after everything for the community," he said, adding that they do not limit use of their services to Roshnee's residents."We don't only help people in Roshnee but also in surrounding areas," he said.The local clinic sees about 200 people a day, mostly from townships surrounding Roshnee, at no expense to the state.It is supported by a mobile clinic on call 24 hours a day, free of charge for basic healthcare assistance.The neighbourhood watch has employed four people to cut the grass on municipal-owned land and clean the central business district daily.Six residents are employed to work on a vegetable garden that extends over an area of 5km². The garden provides vegetables to all households free of charge. The produce is also distributed to nearby townships.Saloojee said that out of the 1,200 households in Roshnee, only 700 contributed to the initiative, but everyone benefited.Saloojee attributes the success of the initiative to community members."Fortunately we have a wealthy community and a few businessmen who support this, and a good team of men who give their time," he said.The neighbourhood watch has permanent offices, employs 29 people and has just built a community centre."The community centre has a boardroom and a counselling room for drug counselling and we will employ a full-time counsellor," Saloojee said.Other communities in South Africa have come to Roshnee for help in setting up similar community initiatives in other towns...