The newly elected Community Police Forum (CPF) of Sakhile outside Standerton wants the television set removed from the police station.
They say instead of patrolling the streets thereby ensuring police visibility, police officers sit and watch the television.
Although they are happy with the manner Sakhile police officers swiftly attend to crime scenes and arresting criminals, they are however not happy that they are not visible on the streets because they sit and watch television at the police station’s community service centre.
Speaking after the elections on Sunday, 15 August 2010, CPF Public Relations Mr Abraham Madonsela said the community wants the television set removed from the charge office because it disrupts the police’s operations.
“Even if there is nothing wrong with them watching the television, but they paint a bad picture to the community that they are sitting and doing nothing. The television should be moved to another place, but not at the charge office,” said Mr Madonsela.
He explained that there was a good working relationship with the police station, however there were serious challenges that could lead to community not working closely with the police.
Madonsela added that they assisted the police in conducting operations at the taverns and closing down illegal liquor outlets in the township.
“We experience problems when we do not sit in the management meetings of the police station. We end up failing in playing our role of linking the police and the community.
“We find it difficult when we do not find a place at the station where we could hold our meetings. It disturbs us when we are also not supported with transport from the police,” said Madonsela.
He explained that during the service delivery protests, the CPF managed to educate the community about how to handle their marches such as getting permission from the municipality and the police. Sakhile Police Station received the third position in the MEC’s Excellence Awards as the station that has functioning CPF last year.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga Safety, Security and Liaison Chief Director Nontsundu Ndonga handed over at least 80 reflector jackets, torches and whistles to the newly formed Sakhile CPF and patrol teams. She urged the CPF and patrol teams not to abuse the government resources by committing crime while wearing them.
“We are not giving you licence to commit crime because the public will respect you as official members of the CPF and patrol teams. This should help you to be easily identified by the police and the community, and that you should be able to alert each other with whistles should there be crime in your vicinity,” said Ndonga.
She added that they should recruit more people so that everyone would participate in the fight against crime.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
