‘Communities must work with police’

KWAZULU-NATAL Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-general Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has urged the public to join their local Community Police Forums (CPF).

He said CPFS were platforms where community members, youth and women’s organisations, school governing bodies and other relevant stakeholders could meet with police to discuss local crime prevention initiatives.

Mkhwanazi listed this as one of the ways in which crime could be fought.

He said the public would be able to find out about what was happening in their areas, arrests made and how to keep their community safe. He also encouraged people to download the SAPS app, “My SAPS”, which allows one to anonymously submit crime tip-offs to the Crime Stop Centre.

Mary de Haas, KZN violence monitor said CPFS can assist in communities in which members are empowered enough to participate, although there were some challenges to it.

“The problem with CPFS is they may be dominated by local councillors or in rural areas, traditional leaders, some of whom have their own interests and not those of communities,” said De Haas.

She said community members, whether involved in CPFS or not, must hold police accountable and ask for information about crimes they have reported and police are supposed to give feedback on investigations, especially serious crimes. “If people in communities are not empowered enough to do that, political leaders in communities, faith-based or credible NPO members can assist them. It is only when rampant police corruption is addressed that people will have more confidence in the police. There are many good cops, but all you need is some corrupt colleagues who cover for criminals, or give them guns, and the lives of the good cops are also at risk.”