Metro address safety concerns
"The common goal is to create conditions that are conducive to bringing harmony and stability in our communities."
More than 250 delegates attended the Ekurhuleni Community Safety Forum Conference in Germiston recently. The aim of the conference was to bring together all stakeholders involved in community safety within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan region, in order to form a Community Safety Forum (CSF).
“The purpose of the CSF is to galvanise and bring together all community safety and security stakeholders for a common goal,” said Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Safety Mthuthuzeli Siboza.
“The common goal is to create conditions that are conducive to bringing harmony and stability in our communities,” he says.
MMC Siboza explained that a CSF is meant to deal with any safety matters within a community that make people unsafe in their street, home or place of work. The forum is therefore responsible for driving and facilitating the Ekurhuleni Community Safety Plan, which was also adopted at the conference.
The plan is divided into five objectives, which were identified within neighbourhoods in Ekurhuleni. They include the improvement of the physical environment, bylaw enforcement and youth crime prevention. The last two highlight the seriousness of ensuring a reduction of priority crimes and establishing a social and community development centre.
The CSF broader coordinating committee, which comprises 10 members, six of which are community representatives, will be required to submit quarterly progress reports on the implementation of the five objectives.
Stakeholders involved in the Ekurhuleni CSF include the relevant structures of the SAPS, the departments of Justice and Constitutional Development, Defence, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Home Affairs, Social Development and Education. Independent security companies and agencies, religious forums, business associations, ward structures and other civic organisations are also contributors.
For more information, residents may phone the Community Safety MMC’s office on (0II) 999-3282/5600.
Caption:
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Safety (MMC) Mthuthuzeli Siboza outlines the role of the Community Safety Forum during a conference held recently at the Germiston Civic Centre.
