Community Forums are not Community Policing Forum
The difference between Community Policing Forums and Community Forums
GLENVISTA – Mistaking Community Policing Forums for Community Forums is something that is common among residents, community forums themselves and the media.
Mondeor SAPS Communication Officer, Constable Elizabeth Sibongile Mnguni, clarified that a Community Policing Forum is a legal body of the SAPS protected under Section 18.
Glenvista Community Forum and Mulbarton Community Forum are not protected under Section 18 and therefore cannot be deemed Community Policing forums, even though they identify themselves as Community Policing Forums.
They instead fall under Section 21 companies formed by residents of those areas. Only the Mondeor Sector 2 CPF is legally a Section 18 body and is recognised by the law as working in partnership with the SAPS.
Constable Mnguni said that Mulbarton Community Forum and Glenvista Community Forum do not form part of the Mondeor SAPS Community Policing Forum structures within section 18 of SAPS, they operate independently as a business or company.
The Glenvista and Mulbarton Community Forums also do not want to be linked to the office of the MEC nor the Mondeor Community Policing forum.
Glenvista Community Forum charges members a fee, but the Mondeor Sector 2 Community Policing Forums do not charge a fee.
