The new interim Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Alexandra is already facing challenges that are similar to those that led to last year’s disbandment of the old CPF structure.

Despite the appointment of new CPF members in some sectors, certain community organisations and members remain dissatisfied with the current arrangement.
CPF spokesperson Chris Mabunda admitted that the matter of the interim CPF is still unresolved. He explained that the 90-day period allocated for the interim structure had not yet elapsed by the end of February, and that is why they had not yet called for the appointment of a new structure. “We are not accounting for December.

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We are only counting January to March. After that, the issues of the interim CPF will be fixed. In March, we can say that the 90-day period is finished.”
His remarks follow concerns raised by Dumisani Nkosi, leader of the Ziyakhala Movement, who argued that the CPF constitution stipulates that an interim structure should serve for about three months before elections are held to establish a permanent body.

Nkosi insisted that the 90-day window had already passed since the election of the current interim CPF last year, and, by now, the police should have announced the election date.

Alexandra Station Commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane responded that the matter of CPF elections is handled at the provincial level. “On the interim CPF, we listened to the community. We tried to elect [the CPF], but the community said it was not happy. That is why we ended up saying the current structure is an interim one that will serve for three months, and the matter will be handled by the province.”

He added that the province will announce the election date, but emphasised that only the community itself can decide who should lead. “The CPF members are not getting paid. They are assisting us. Still, there are complaints. People are saying they do not want certain individuals, which is why we will start afresh.”

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Ngubane said that if the community elects someone, he will accept that person and move forward with them. However, he acknowledged that police continue to face complaints about CPF appointments across different sectors.

Last year, the old CPF structure was battered by similar challenges. Ngubane told Alex News that they had to eventually disband the old CPF structure because of long-standing divisions within the structure that, in the long-term, affected their ability to meet their constitutional obligations.

Now, as April approaches, uncertainty remains over whether Alexandra will have a permanent CPF or yet another interim structure.

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