Akasia police encourage Nkandla residents to form CPF
The community was encouraged to work with the police by forming Community Policing Forums (CPFs).
Nkandla informal settlement residents were recently encouraged to form CPFs and expressed their unhappiness with the Akasia police during a recent community engagement session.
The session was held at Soshanguve Changing Spot Rank, north of Pretoria on March 20 at 10:00.
“The main aim of the engagement was to encourage the community of Nkandla to form CPFs,” said police spokesperson Lindiwe Mashaba.
The police were supported by the Department of Justice, Drugs and Substance Abuse Marshals, community patrollers, the Akasia CPF, metro police and crime prevention wardens.
Sector manager Thabo Mphioe and Constable Martha Madumo addressed the residents.
According to Mphoie, the CPFs are the eyes and ears of the police, and the two must work together to fight crime in the area.
“Create the forums as quickly as possible because police will not be able to fight crime effectively without the CPF.
The community must always report lawlessness and not condone any form of criminality.
“The police have moved from being a force to a service – that means people must not be scared to come and seek help,” said Mphioe.
Department of Justice’s Nonhlanhla Antonio said that her office is more than prepared to work with the community on gender-based violence-related issues.
“People must refrain from the tendency of opening a case to spite their partner only to cancel later.
“This derails the law and most of the victims are subjecting themselves to more abuse and, in most cases, lose their life,” said Antonio.
The community was offered a platform to engage with the police, raise their concerns and ask questions that needed urgent responses.
Those with sensitive information were addressed privately after the session.
Drugs and Substance Abuse Marshals chairperson Lettie Kganakga said that her organisation deals with substance users and is prepared to take them to rehabilitation facilities.
“We have recently partnered with the Department of Education. We assist the public to go back to school and obtain their matric certificate,” said Kganakga.
Constable Grace Butha of the liquor office warned the community about operating illegal shebeens and said they should come to her office for liquor licence application assistance.
“Scrapyard owners must comply with the second-hand goods law and refrain from taking stolen items from the community as this constitutes a crime.
“Those operating recycling businesses must be very careful and not affect the health of fellow community members,” said Butha.
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