Members of the community were invited to attend the meeting which took place in Illovo. The Sandton precinct forms part of the policing forum’s cluster. Phalatse said, “We use this strategic forum for learning and sharing best practices for the benefit of our communities.”
He added that the policing forum is working together with the Bramley police to ensure that there is visible policing and crime prevention as well as enhanced detective services in all precincts.
Phalatse said he wanted to increase communication between the police, the forum and the community. “We want the community to be responsive and work with us,” he explained. “We have effective and functional sectors, however, they can only work if there is participation from everyone.”
He added, “The policing forum executive committee has agreed to initiate and sustain a number of community projects and strategic partnerships.”
He said he wanted to assure all residents within the forum’s precinct that the executive committee are approaching the talks about a new police station in Wynberg with sensitivity and will provide regular reports about its development.
Phalatse went on to discuss the key programmes the forum is perusing. He said, “One of the key programmes we are pursuing is the re-launch of an operational Victim Empowerment Unit that offers trauma counselling.”
He also said the executive committee is looking at starting a Youth Desk as part of the forum. “We want to ensure that our youth also play an active role in fighting crime and creating safer communities,” added Phalatse.
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The biggest problem that is faced by residents in the Illovo / Corlett area is around the taxi drivers who have set up a taxi rank on Atherstone Road. It is common cause that, that street is not zoned for taxi rank or public transport depot. The question is what is being done about it?