JOHANNESBURG – The provincial police commissioner did not suspend any existing CPF functions or roles when he announced the suspension of CPF oversight functions. The commissioner was reportedly referring to oversight functions that were not implemented yet.
The Gauteng provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Lesetja Joel Mothiba, said in a press release that he takes note of the media reports following his suspension of the oversight functions of CPFs and police stations.
During a meeting with the police’s provincial management and provincial CPF board, this past week, it was agreed that the intention of the directive was not to interfere or halt current CPF functions but that the directive applied to additional oversight functions that were to be implemented to afford proper inputs from the police.
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The release further states that the police has a responsibility to establish and improve the relationship and partnership between them and the community through CPFs and CPF boards.
The envisaged additional oversight mandate of CPFs is still to be discussed pending all stakeholders’ inputs including those of Sizakele Nkosi-Malubane, the Gauteng MEC for Safety and Security.
“We trust that this matter is clarified and will continue our partnership in the fight against crime,” Mothiba said.
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Pieter Schreiber, chairperson of the Alberton CPF said they have a great relationship with the police on grassroots level and never had the need to be a watchdog over the Alberton Police Station as everything between the parties is transparent.
“We feel that if we can work together then we make a great team. In the end we are all working towards one mission and that is to fight crime,” Schreiber said.
