eMba CPF committee disbanned

eMBALENHLE – The committee and the executive of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) was disbanded.

This came after the members of the CPF, the Sector Crime Forum and other stakeholders tabled their dissatisfaction with the CPF during a meeting at the eMbalenhle Police Station on Thursday, 20 August.

Emotions ran very high when the members questioned Mr Phindile Sindane, cluster chairman, about the delay in implementing resolutions taken during previous meetings.

Among others, the resolution was to disband the current executive committee of the CPF.

They said the CPF committee members are doing nothing but to serve their own interests.

“Crime continues to increase in our area, where is the CPF?

“The executive committee does not even know the sector chairmen.

“They do not know what is happening in the community.

“People are being victims of crime daily in eMbalenhle, what has the committee done about it thus far?

“This leadership is too relaxed and comfortable, they must go,” said a resident.

The members were also angered by the absence of the CPF chairman, Mr Joseph Mhlongo, and his executive committee.

Apparently Mr Mhlongo told them through his deputy that they were attending other important crime related meetings.

“They do not even respect us,” a resident said.

“They claim to have a meeting in Sector 4, while the Sector 4 chairman is here and he did not even know about the meeting!

“Who did they organise the meeting with?” a CPF member wanted to know.

Mr Sidane urged the members to calm down and to deal with the situation professionally.

“We most remember that our main duty is to fight crime and to build good relations between the police and the community.

“Failure to do so will result in us failing our people.”

A resolution to relaunch the CPF in the area was taken.

A task team consisting of five members was elected and was given the mandate to go to the authorities to inform them about the resolution taken and to co-ordinate the meeting and date of the relaunch.

Capt Magonseni Nkosi, police spokesman, said the station management has not yet received any information about the issue.

He said according to the information on hand, the CPF is effective and they work hand and glove with the police.

“However we will wait for the task team to submit their grievances and take it from there.”

Mr Joseph Mhlongo, CPF chairman, said he did not know about the Thursday meeting, because they were only told that it was a sector crime meeting.

He said he does not know anything about the CPF being disbanded.

“Ï do not even know that a resolution to disband the CPF was taken at a previous meeting.

“If there was such a meeting, they must provide us with the minutes.

“The current CPF was launched in 2012 and its term ends in 2017.

“We are constitutionally guided, have a code of conduct and follow the right channels when dealing with issues.

“Except for the station commander, no one has powers to disband the CPF.

“No one man can just wake up and disband the CPF.”