ALDERMAN ALLAN SAULS, national organiser and logistics secretary, writes:
I had the opportunity to attend the Kempton Park SAPS crime imbizo at The Aviator Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport on February 10, representing Shosholoza Progressive Party.
The attendance was primarily police services, community policing forum and sector policing forum members.
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Shosholoza Progressive Party believes communities should live within a safer country where police mobility is paramount, ensuring a highly responsive police force. Communities would play an important role in being participative in matters relating to crime prevention, therefore becoming the eyes and ears of the police through sector and community policing forums.
Kempton Park SAPS openly requested community participation in the crime-fighting effort. Shosholoza Progressive Party understands that the police have the sole mandate in the crime-fighting effort, hence serious questions come to mind on why ordinary civilians are required to become active participators in the fight against crime. The community participation request raises a red flag, highlighting the police’s resource availability and ability to fight crime.
With these questions in mind, Shosholoza Progressive Party will conduct oversight visits at police stations with a view to understanding why community participation has become such an important drive within the South African Police Service, especially in the fight against crime.
This is against the backdrop of many crime-related matters reported at the crime imbizo. Shosholoza Progressive Party remains committed to the restructuring and effectiveness of community policing and the crime prevention effort.
