Alexandra residents push back against armed patrol proposal

Debate over the future shape of Alexandra’s Community Policing Forum (CPF) turned to the question of firearms at an imbizo at Alex SanKopano on September 26.

The debate followed proposals from some community members that CPF volunteers be trained and armed to protect themselves during patrols.

The suggestion was met with pushback from other residents, who cautioned against flooding the community with too many firearms, warning that it could create more risk than it resolves.

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Alexandra Police Station Commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane also weighed in on the matter, reminding residents of the CPF’s core mandate.

“The CPF is supposed to be the eyes and the ears,” he said. “When there are weapons or dangerous firearms involved, they must call the police. That is why the police have firearms and are trained to deal with that.”

Interim structure’s future questioned

Also under discussion was the fate of the interim CPF structure, whose term has expired, and whether its members would be eligible to serve in the new structure.

Ngubane praised the interim body’s performance, distinguishing it from the CPF structure that came before it.

“In the interim, to be honest, we worked very well with them. I am not talking about the former CPF but the new one; they worked very well, and we appreciate that,” he said. “On the question of eligibility, there are only three members from the interim structure who are not eligible to be part of the new structure.”

Ngubane declined to name the three individuals but confirmed their exclusion. He said the shift toward a new structure was necessary to resolve complaints that had plagued the previous CPF.

Demand for greater police visibility

Residents raised concerns about safety in the community, with several calling for increased police visibility on the streets.

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Busisiwe Nhlapo said residents are well aware of the shortage of police officers in Alexandra, adding that current capacity is not ideal for an overpopulated area like Alexandra.

She said she attended the imbizo hoping to hear whether the local station had received additional officers from the police college.

“There was nothing said about that. We are in September now;when we are approaching December. December is a hectic time where crime will rise hour after hour,” she said.

Nhlapo said that with the number of reported murder cases i n the area, many in the community have lost hope. She believes low attendance at the imbizo reflects growing disappointment in the police among residents.

Police officials said they intend to increase visibility in the area, including stationing vehicles in locations flagged as crime hotspots. They did not respond to Nhlapo’s question regarding new officers from the police college.

According to resident Nkosinathi Ntabane, such deployments to hotspot areas are informed by community crime reports, and he urged residents to report every incident to police.

“Whenever something happens, we should report it. That helps the police to be aware of what is happening and where. It is so that when they plan, they may be able to plan according to crime patterns,” he said.

Despite the frustrations raised throughout the meeting, community members and police officials agreed that safety in Alexandra will depend on cooperation between residents and law enforcement.

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