The Estcourt SAPS Conference Hall was packed on July 9 with residents wanting to be part of the solution to crime.
Members for the new Community Police Forum (CPF) Executive Committee were being elected at the annual general meeting.
During remarks made by the Station Commander Colonel Mabaso it was mentioned that the meeting held was just for the residents in Estcourt.
Among, those present were residents from Wembezi, who after hearing that, many got angry and stormed out.
“It was always the case that one station cannot hold elections of a CPF committee for surrounding stations and the meeting was called by the Estcourt SAPS and not the Estcourt Cluster,” explained Captain Sokhela.
One resident residing in Wembezi said: “I came all the way in the cold weather only to find I’m sitting in on a meeting, which doesn’t benefit me or my community in anyway.”
One other attendant residing in Estcourt said the meeting lacked organising and uttered that it was ‘ridiculous’.
Over and above all the misunderstanding and confusion new members for the CPF Executive Committee have been elected.
The new members ready to work hand in hand with the police to fight crime are Chairperson Reverend Kwazi Nduli, Deputy Chairperson David Allen, Secretary Fezile Hadebe and Treasurer T Shangase.
Additional members were elected, but Captain Sokhela said they will have to be drawn from sub-forums in order to ensure proper representation.
The Station Commander Colonel Mabaso said the previous committee was very committed to fighting crime and proudly said that due to a project the committee initiated, the local crime rate decreased.
In closing the new Chairperson Rev Nduli thanked the attendants for voting for him.