Government departments, within the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster, including the Moses Kotane Loal Municipality, House of Traditional Leaders and local business have unanimously agreed to join hands to fight against crime. The agreement was endorsed during the launch of Community Safety Forum (CSF) in Moruleng village under the Moses Kotane local Municipality.
Launching the Forum MEC for Human Settlements Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi, who was represented by the Acting Head of Department Bailey Mahlakoleng, called on communities to work closely with all law enforcement agencies. He appealed to community members to take charge of all safety issues within their communities. “By showing dedication and commitment in the activities of the forum the North West and the country will be safe place to leave in” said Maloyi.
The Community Safety Forum facilitates the delivery of a multi-sectoral government approach on safety in communities. The forum’s approach is broader than that of the Community Policing Forums in that it includes the responses from all the departments in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster.
MEC Maloyi further called on Traditional Leaders to play their part in the fight against crime.
Meanwhile Kgosi Nyalala Pilane of the Bakgatlha Baakgefela, gave the forum thumps up saying the move will assist more as it includes other sectors of government, including traditional leadership. “The house of traditional leaders place a major role in the fight against crime, that’s why we should consider it a major stakeholder of this important forum,” said Kgosi Pilane.
Explaining the role of Community Safety Forum during the launch, MEC Maloyi said that the forum is meant to bridge safety issues affecting a particular community and harness the energies of most, if not all the departments in the Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster.
He said that it included any safety matter within a community that makes people unsafe in their streets, homes and place of work. “It is designed to deal with those matters that traditional policing could not and does not deal with” said Maloyi. The forum was launched under the government strategic objective on crime prevention that says “All people in South Africa are and feel safe”.
MEC Maloyi further encouraged other municipalities to launch the CSF as he made a commitment during his policy statement at the North West Legislature earlier this year, to roll out the launch of community safety forums. “We need to be a team and further expand the work of Community Policing Forums, in the fight against crime. I am certain that if we gang up together we shall indeed win the fight against crime,” he concluded.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 388 3157
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
