This afternoon, 26 September 2016 at the Social Justice Coalition’s (SJC) Policing and Social Justice Dialogues, Major General Brand, the SAPS Khayelitsha Cluster Commander, will publicly be signing a Community Policing Commitment.
In 2014 the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry made 20 key recommendations to improve safety and policing in the area. Recommendation 1 – the adoption of a Community Policing Commitment – was intended to improve the relationship between the Khayelitsha community and the police as well as to promote more professional and effective policing.
During the Commission, the breakdown between the community and the police was identified as a serious challenge to safety and justice in Khayelitsha as were the inadequate levels of service that many residents experienced from the SAPS.
The signing ceremony will form part of the SJC’s second annual Policing and Social Justice Dialogues Series (programme-for-dialogues). Between 13h00 and 15h00 Major General Brand will be presenting on the State of Policing in Khayelitsha and will sign the Commitment thereafter.
The Commitment was supposed to be developed in consultation with the community, civil society and other stakeholders in Khayelitsha. There was no public engagement however and this is problematic that the document was developed solely by the SAPS.
However, the adoption of the Community Policing Commitment is an important step in implementing the Commission’s recommendations. It remains encouraging that local relationships with the SAPS continue to be strengthened.
[ENDS]
Members of the media are invited to attend Major General Brand’s presentation and the adoption of the Commitment.
Venue: Isivivana Centre, 8 Mzala Street, Site B, Khayelitsha (next to the Khayelitsha Mall)
Time: 13h00 (signing of Commitment to take place +/- 15h00)
For comment please contact:
Chumile Sali – 071 609 3236