North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa has urged Community Policing Forums (CPFs) to ensure that police in their respective areas protect, serve and treat complaints from all sections of their communities with the same urgency irrespective of the social and economic status of the complainants. MEC Yawa made the appeal at the consultative workshop that he hosted on Wednesday in Mafikeng for the over 500 CPF executive members from across the North West province.
In his keynote address, MEC Yawa emphasised the need for CPFs to work closer with communities. "Moral Regeneration is one of the vehicles to reduce crime therefore we need to deepen the practice of participatory democracy by establishing vibrant and dynamic partnerships and deepen our interface with churches, faith based organisations, business, labour, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), the private security industry, traditional leaders, the youth and all stakeholders." he said.
Yawa emphasised that once elected, CPFs should not be self-serving structures that are aloof from communities. They should remain accountable by holding community stakeholder meetings for consultation in determining policing priorities, presentation of reports on challenges and achievements.
While CPFs pledged their unequivocal support for the war against crime, they decried the proliferation of taverns which are more than churches and schools in communities. The CPFs proposed that their views should be considered by the Liquor Board before further licenses are issued.
Other concerns raised by CPFs include capacity building programme for CPFs, location of Community Safety Forums, funding of Business Plans for crime prevention projects, re-launch of dysfunctional CPFs, stipend for CPF members, transport, access to resources and election of a new Provincial Policing Board.
A joint task team comprised of officials of the Department of Public Safety, CPF cluster representation and police has been established to develop a Programme of Action with time frames on short, medium and long term solutions to challenges raised by the CPFs.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Fax: 018 381 9164
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
