Greater co-operation with police is needed to tackle the high crime rate

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)

Violent crime in South Africa has taken its toll on many families and communities over the past two decades. Almost every other family has been affected in some way or the other by brutal murders, car hijackings, house robberies, business hold-ups, cash-in-transit heists and other violent crimes.

In many instances, the killers and violent robbers have escaped scot free and victims have not been informed of whether those responsible for the dire deeds have been brought to book or not.

The new non-racial and democratic Government had at first been somewhat lax in tackling the run-away crime. But over the past decade or so, the new Government has set up a number of measures in an attempt to make residential areas and CBDs a much safer place.

One of the measures introduced was the establishment of Community Police Forums and sub structures as a means of promoting co-operation between the Police and communities to tackle the crime situation. In Tongaat, the Tongaat Community Policing Forum(TCPF) was set up together with a number of local police forums in the different residential areas.

While for some time there has been a cordial and effective working relationship between the Police and the TCPF, this harmonious relationship has now degenerated where certain officials of the TCPF and one or two so-called community leaders have embarked on a campaign to vilify and criticise the local police officers for allegedly "not doing their jobs properly".

Just last week, some of the TCPF officials and "community leaders" went on an offensive, attacking and criticising the police at a South Sector Police Forum meeting.

This estranged relationship follows the sacking of two officials on March 29 after it was found that their election on March 14 was unconstitutional. The police found that they could not serve on the TCPF because of previous "criminal convictions".

The two officials were replaced on April 4 by two other officials.

The sacked officials served a notice on the April 5 that they should be re-instated or a High Court Order would be sought. The two officials even attended a monthly meeting of the TCPF and took along with them about 60 supporters. The meeting had to be closed abruptly after the 60 supporters became disruptive.

The two officials subsequently went to the High Court which ruled that the officials should be re-instated in their positions. However, the High Court did not rule on the constitutionality of their election.

The police are still insisting that the election of the two officials are unconstitutional and, therefore, they merely want the constitution to be upheld.

This impasse has led to the local Tongaat police being vilified at every turn. The police have an unenviable task to ensure that the communities are safe from the violent criminals who roam our CBDs and the residential areas. At the moment the violent criminals are not only a threat to communities but also to the police. Since January this year alone, 48 police officers were brutally gunned down by violent criminals. Every year more than 150 police officers are killed in the line of duty.

This means that everytime the police respond to calls from members of the public they are also placing their lives at risk.

It's, therefore, imperative that there's an amicable relationship between the police and the TCPF so that the interests of the communities will be served without any fear or favour. We should not have a situation where the safety and security of tax-paying residents are compromised in any way. - Subry Govender, Editor.