Policing forums 'neglected'

18 February 2015 - 02:41 By Penwell Dlamini and Shenaaz Jamal
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Community policing forums in Gauteng are in a shambles, according to the provincial government's portfolio committee on community safety.

The committee says it is not satisfied with the way the provincial government is dealing with the forums.

In a report tabled yesterday, the Gauteng department of community safety said there were only 20 functional community policing forums in the province.

It admitted that it had underspent on the provision of civilian oversight of policing by 32%.

The department said it had failed to train policing forum members because it "awaited tender processes".

The excuse was rejected by committee members who said that the inadequacy of training had been highlighted repeatedly over the years.

"When they fail to deliver, they tell us about the tender process," said committee member Jacob Khawe.

"You are putting these people on the front line [of fighting crime] and you do not train them.

"Training is a necessary skills issue. These people, after they have been trained, might enter the [security] industry. You are denying them this opportunity."

Gauteng community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said in the debate on her budget vote last year that a civilian secretariat to monitor policing on behalf of citizens would be formed.

Khawe said he had spoken to the finance MEC and had been told that funds were available for the setting up of the secretariat but had not been drawn on by the department of community safety.

"Perhaps they are afraid to implement it; [afraid] that there will be a strong arm looking at misbehaviour of police ," Khawe said.

The committee said it did not want the department to respond to it in writing. It ordered the department to delegate officials to appear before it.

"Bring them here and let us put them over the grill," said committee member John Moody.

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