Alexandra residents used a community imbizo to challenge police on alleged corruption, vehicle use and the safety of crime informants, while officers called for the election of a new Community Policing Forum (CPF).

The meeting took place at Alex SanKopano on September 26, and was hosted by local police to discuss crime and the upcoming CPF elections. Resident and former member of the CPF’s interim structure, Busisiwe Nhlapo, said the community is often told police vehicles are insufficient, yet residents see officers driving around in them aimlessly. “Can you fix your house? Clearly your house is leaking,” Nhlapo said. “You better have 10 police officers who are willing to work and fight crime in Alexandra than police officers who will fill the station while the crime rate is increasing.”

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Alexandra Police Station commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane urged residents to report any corruption they witness, saying the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) would then take over the investigation. “If the police are corrupt, all I want is a case,” he said.

He explained that he cannot arrest an officer on hearsay, and that, as far as he knew, only two corruption cases had been opened. Ngubane said such cases are not investigated at the station, but by the anti-corruption unit and Ipid. Residents reluctant to open a case at Alexandra could do so at another police station, he added.

He also encouraged the public to share information about crime, even anonymously. “Maybe send an audio, and we will follow up on that,” he said.

Some residents questioned what protection exists for people who come forward. Resident Edwin Seleke asked what protection police were promising whistle-blowers, warning that a person who reports a crime could be attacked or killed soon afterwards.

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Ngubane assured the meeting that adequate protection exists and that police never reveal the identities of their informants. He insisted suspects have no way of finding out who provided information. He nonetheless acknowledged that trust between police and residents must be built for communication to flow. That, he said, is exactly why a permanent CPF is needed. As a community-elected structure, the forum bridges the gap between police and residents, and he urged the community to work with it once it is established.

According to Ngubane, Alexandra has been without a permanent CPF since the previous structure was disbanded last year because of infighting. Police now want to work with the community to resolve the long-standing impasse, and the elections were at the top of the imbizo’s agenda. Officers wanted to inform residents ahead of the vote and encourage them to take part.

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