At the Discovery Community Forum’s (DCF) annual general meeting (AGM), they announced sweeping changes to the way the organisation operates with the aim of becoming more representative of the local community.

The AGM was held at the Rainbow FM boardroom in Sauer Street on August 5.

According to chairperson Justin Bezuidenhout, the changes aim largely to include the broader community, effectively turning DCF into a forum representing the whole of Discovery, and not just paying members.

“We won’t be compelling members to pay annual or monthly fees anymore,” he says.

“We may still ask for contributions in the form of donations, but member fees will no longer be a requirement for voting rights.

“Going forward, anyone residing within Discovery will have the right to participate in and to vote at our meetings, should a vote be called.”

Bezuidenhout, who was again elected chairperson, said the continued success of the DCF depends on being able to attract more members and being more representative of the community as a whole.

“By going this route, we aim to make DCF bigger, stronger, and more influential,” he says.

The suggested changes to the DCF constitution were accepted unopposed.

“We are planning a whole host of events for the coming year,” says Bezuidenhout.

“We are also actively participating in the newly formed Florida Sector 2 Crime Forum, and we are happy that Sector 2 is finally back on track after a long period of limbo.”

Special mention was made at the AGM, thanking longtime committee member Isabel Gomes, who had opted not to stand for re-election, for her tireless work over the years.