A call for the disbandment of the Steenberg Community Police Forum (CPF) executive committee and for a new committee to be nominated is being tabled.
Activist Lucinda Evans from Lavender Hill organisation Philisa Abafazi Bethu called for a vote of no confidence in the forum’s executive and a recommendation of dissolution, citing several issues, among them that the relationship with the police, the CPF and the community had broken down.
Ms Evans, a former CPF cluster chairperson, said several of the executive members of the forum had tendered their resignations and questioned if the legislative body had been quorate.
The sentiments come after the CPF released a press release following a handover of a memorandum at a community march which was held on Thursday July 7 in response to ongoing shootings at the time (‘March for peace’, Southern Mail, July 13).
In the statement the CPF exco acknowledged Ms Evans and said the sentiments were expressed by individuals who claim to have a mandate for the broader community.
It reads: “The current executive committee was duly elected by the members of the Steenberg Community Police Forum in October 2020. The organisation Ms Evans represents, Philisa Abafazi Bethu (PAB), is a member of the CPF, along with many other residents who participated in the July march.”
It continued: “The points of view expressed at the march have not been raised in prior plenary meetings nor escalated through the constituted procedures for dispute resolution.”
The exco then invited registered member organisations to formally call for a vote of no confidence in the executive committee a plenary meeting which was held on Monday August 15.
Wicht Court Association chair, Adele Campbell, echoed his sentiments and said individuals should not talk on behalf of Lavender Hill.
“My question and concern is who mandated them to talk on behalf of the organisations of Lavender Hill. The same organisations that voted for the CPF now wants to get rid of them. Wicht Court Association says the CPF must stay, as well as sector 4, after all, we were voted by the people – for the people. How can we leave Lavender Hill vulnerable by disbanding the CPF.”
In response to the statement Ms Evans said she was mandated because she was a human rights defender and had a responsibility to address poor or a lack of service delivery that impacted the safety of women, children, the LGBTQI community and residents of Steenberg.
Former exco member Malcolm Campbell confirmed that he and three others had tabled their resignations from the forum and said that there had been a call from the community for the CPF exco to step down.
“It’s not just Ms Evans and PAB but also after greater community engagement. It’s my learned view that the exco should step down.”
Mr Campbell also recommended that the CPF exco should adhere to the two-year in-office rule. “It’s not right that people stay in office for up to 10 years. They become complacent, ineffective and entrenched in the position with resistance to leaving when it’s time to go.”
He added that the CPF, didn’t have the support from government to fulfil their mandate.
Mark Schrikker from the 7945 Action Group accused the CPF of being controlled by Steenberg police’s station commander Colonel Jan Alexander.
“When the community speaks up in meetings and asks about the legitimacy of the CPF, we are asked to leave. They do nothing for the community. We have given them four memorandums to ask for several things that should be implemented for the safety of the community.”
Mr Skrikker added: “It should be a collective body which makes collective decisions according to the community. It should be a truth circle where the community should be able to speak about important issues and strategise a way forward.”
In a follow-up statement issued after the plenary meeting, Steenberg CPF said they would continue to fulfil their mandate to manage the legislative body for collective community representation and action with regards to community safety and policing.
An invitation was also extended to all organisations to apply to be CPF members and to participate in sector meetings every month.
Erica Jacobs, CEO of New World Foundation and deputy chair of the CPF said there would be an opportunity for open dialogue at the following plenary meeting. “We are inviting input from member organisations on the issue and recommend that due processes are followed,” she said.
In response to the recent issues raised, Rafique Folflonker, the Mitchell’s Plain Cluster chairperson said the cluster board had not received a formal complaint regarding the CPF or Steenberg police station.
“The procedure to escalate a complaint at station level via the cluster is not evident to me as chairperson. I can also confirm that your local CPF is in good standing from a cluster perspective and urge you not to succumb to narrow rhetoric. Organisations with legitimate issues or complaints need to engage fully and meaningfully with consideration for due process.”
Colonel Alexander declined to comment and referred Southern Mail to the provincial police office.
The Steenberg CPF meets every third Monday of the month at Retreat community centre on the corner of Cradock Road and Joe Marks Boulevard.
Should the vote of no confidence be accepted by the floor, the Steenberg CPF exco will stand down and an election for a new executive committee will then be held in September.