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The deplorable crime rate and gang violence throughout the Amajuba District is a well known, publicised problem. Now, thankfully, due to the public’s unrelenting demand for a positive change, coupled with the need to remedy this long overdue issue, the Amajuba District Municipality is now driving the revitalisation of the Community Safety Forum (CSF).
On Tuesday, 23 March 2021, at the Amajuba District Municipality’s Council Chambers; the Amajuba District Municipality, in partnership with the South African Police, Civilian Secretariat for Police, Community Safety and Liaison and the civil society, led the programme to invigorate the CSF.
According to Sbonelo Cebekhulu of the District Municipality’s communications department, the Community Safety Forums originated from the requirements outlined in the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) of 1996, and the 1998 White Paper on Safety and Security. Both of these sought to improve, among others, the functioning of the criminal justice system (and in particular the police) in the local domain and to enhance crime prevention activities.
While the NCPS and the White Paper created the opportunity for integrated approaches to preventing crime and increasing law enforcement efficiency, they failed to explain the methodology and structural arrangements as to exactly how the CSF concept must be implemented.
Community Safety Forums are based on the premise that increased co-operation and interaction would improve the functioning and deliberations within the local criminal justice system and the delivery of crime prevention projects. This resulted in the CSF concept evolving as a replicable structure for integrated problem-solving at a local level destined to provide means for sharing information and coordinating an inter-disciplinary approach to crime prevention.
This approach includes collaboration and responses from all the departments in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster and other relevant organs of state.
The Community Safety Forum does not aim to replace or duplicate any existing structure or forum locally. It will solely serve as a coordinating structure for collaboration and integrated planning, and implementation at a local government level. Therefore, the primary purpose remains to replicate the co-ordination and monitoring functions of the JCPS (or criminal justice system) structure to streamline and enhance integrated planning at a local government level.
The revitalisation of this forum in the Amajuba District is motivated by recent criminal activity, including the gangs, which affected the Osizweni area. Amajuba District Municipality’s leadership seeks to work closely with all sectors to find solutions to crime-related challenges.
The Speaker, Cllr Phumzile Mgcina, emphasised the importance of people contributing to the fight against crime. She elaborates, “We can no longer leave this fight at the hands of the police. They also need our assistance. We all come from different communities or establishments, and that is where we are required to push the agenda to fight crime. As municipalities and government, we can also make a huge contribution if we follow the District Development Model’s approach which states that we should all work together. Let us try to see how best we utilise our budgets together and initiate programmes that will take our youth away from crime.”
The session also allowed civil society representatives to raise their views on how the Community Safety Forum can lead the campaigns against crime. The general opinion was that the government and its partners need to launch youth development programmes to speedily assist the youth.
Challenges related to service delivery were also discussed as possible reasons for specific criminal activity and unruly behaviour by community members when they protest service delivery. Burning and destruction of infrastructure, illegal blocking of key roads and digging of trenches on roads were some of the significant challenges the forum needs to look at and ensure they are minimised.
A commitment was made by the SAPS and Civilian Secretariat representatives from the national offices that Amajuba District Municipality will be assisted in having a proper functioning forum. With this in mind, the main priority now is ensuring the forum is established correctly and a crime-fighting plan for the district is developed.
What are your thoughts on the Amajuba District Municipality taking proactive steps to combat crime? Share your views with us in the comment section below.
