2025, for the Bramley Sector 2 Community Policing Forum (CPF), was marked by a transition in executive leadership.
It was also marked by a significant effort to shift from reactive complaint-management to proactive, sustainable safety solutions for the residents of its seven suburbs, including Kew, Bramley, Bramley North, Bramley Park, Bramley View, Glen Atholl Ext, Gresswold, Savoy Estate, and Whitney Gardens.

Deputy chairperson Clinton Powys noted that a key change in the CPF’s partner structure occurred at the end of July, with the departure of Station Commander OJ King and the welcoming of Lieutenant General Thapelo Molepo as the Acting Station Commander. “This entire effort was only possible due to the crucial assistance and commitment of key community partners, including CAP Security, the Kew Action Group, the Kew Residents Association, and dedicated volunteers within the sector.”

Read more: Bramley CPF Sector 2 held its first Steering Committee meeting

Highlights of the CPF

A new CPF executive committee took office early in the year, featuring chairperson Pamela Singh-Bawanipersard, deputy chairperson Clinton Powys, public relations officer Chet Diepram, and secretary Mzwandile Faniso.

The year saw the initiation and execution of major community-focused projects:

• Clean-up campaigns: The new executive committed to urban management, launching the annual spring clean campaign on August 31 across the seven suburbs to tackle street waste and park neglect. This initiative involved co-ordinating City Parks and Pikitup to clean parks and street waste, respectively.
• Park rehabilitation and adoption: Significant attention was given to the neglected Bramley Park, which suffers from drug peddling and illegal structures. The CPF proposed a park adoption plan, to allow residents to take long-term control of maintenance and closure.
• The community safety programme launch: The most critical development was the launch of the community safety programme at Midways Mall on November 22, a 12-month integrated project comprising six sub-programmes. This programme aims for a 15% to 30% reduction in crime by establishing safe corridors, creating a park shield, and formalising an infrastructure shield to protect public assets.

Also read: Bramley Sector 2’s CPF prepares to launch Community Safety Programme (CSP)

Lowlights of the CPF

Throughout the year, residents expressed consistent frustration over issues that exposed significant service delivery gaps and resource limitations:

• Overwhelming noise and liquor disturbances: This was the most prevalent and disruptive issue. A detailed survey found that 96.6% of respondents complained about loud music, primarily from liquor outlets, with the worst disturbances occurring late at night, from 22:00 to 06:00.
• Crime volatility: While Sector 2 was often noted as having relatively lower crime than Sector 1, it experienced spikes in serious crime. The July 2025 trends showed increases in robbery with a firearm, common robbery, and murder. The highest crime suburb was consistently Kew.
• Infrastructure and urban management crisis: Persistent problems included illegal electricity connections (with over 2 500 instances cited in Kew), rampant cable theft and vandalism of City Power substations, and the proliferation of hijacked properties and illegal businesses run by undocumented persons. These issues are contributing factors to crime, alongside the lack of streetlights and abandoned houses.

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