New Bronkhorstspruit CPF elected
"CPFs are the police’s strongest link to communities and play an integral role in the safety partnership that we are calling on,” Minister Bheki Cele said during the release of the latest crime stats recently.
Bronkhorstspruit recently elected a community policing forum (CPF) executive committee that will assist in reducing crime in the area.
The Bronkhorstspruit policing precinct in the latest crime stats showed that crimes such as robbery with aggravating circumstances, contact sexual offences, car hijacking, robbery at residential and non-residential premises, drug-related crime and kidnappings had increased.
The statistics cover the period from October to December 2022.
Bronkhorstspruit police station had also made the top 30 of police stations plagued by serious crime nationally:
– Registered two cases of sexual assault, the highest since 2018.
– Registered 25 cases for robberies at non-residential places. The highest since 12 cases were recorded in 2018.
Station commander Colonel Maqhawe Dhladhla said “fighting crime is far more effective when it is done as a partnership and the CPF works in partnership with the SAPS and provides key oversight on the station’s performance”.
Police spokesperson Constable Munyadziwa Cathrine Ramovha said the newly elected committee and Bronkhorstspruit police used the elections to renew their commitment to work together to reduce crime in the precinct.
The newly elected Bronkhorstspruit CPF chairperson November Mbonani said he was looking forward to working with the incoming executive and to create a safer environment for all.
The newly elected Bronkhorstspruit CPF executive committee is as follows:
– Chairperson: November Mbonani
– Deputy chairperson: Thokozani Sindane
– Secretary: Thabo Matsheni
– Deputy secretary: Charmaine Ras
– Treasurer: Zanele Mkhwebane
– Public relations officer: Portia Nhlane
– Other elected members are Aubrey Baloyi, Maryna Fondse and Peter Mahlangu.
The election of about nine members comes as Minister of Police, Bheki Cele in February stated that an integrated crime prevention and crime combatting operations were critical in policing.
Cele said the police service was fast-tracking legislation to enable CPFs to close gaps hampering policing and law.
“The legislation will bolster police work, such as the amendment of the SAPS Act, to strengthen the functioning of CPFs.
“The amendments will ensure that CPFs are provided with some resources to enable them to function optimally.
“CPFs are the police’s strongest link to communities and play an integral role in the safety partnership that we are calling on.”
He said a total of 1 156 police stations in the country had active CPFs.
“With that said, we know and understand that police alone will not be able to drive out criminality on our streets in our alleyways, in our homes, schools and places of leisure and worship.
“We call on communities to take charge and be allies in safety.”
He reiterated that someone, somewhere, somehow, knew about criminal incidents.
Cele said it was the job of police to prevent, combat and investigate crime, however a community-centered approach for prevention and combating of crime was needed to yield better results.
“We call on South Africans to be part of the safety partnership between civil society and community structures, religious and other organised groupings, business and law enforcement.”
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