Memorandum to the Provincial Commissioner of Police: Pinetown SAPS
Attention: Deputy Provincial Commissioner Jula
c/o Cluster Commander, Brig. J Sayer
South African Police Service
24 October, 2010
Memorandum: Pinetown SAPS
As the elected public representative for most of the Pinetown area, and one of the only 3 councillors in the Pinetown policing area who actively participate in community policing structures, I hereby submit the following memorandum.
The partnership between the Pinetown SAPS, notably the station commander, and the CPF and community as a whole may exist, but it exists only to the extent required to fulfil the legal mandate. In practice, there is no collaborative effort between Pinetown SAPS and the community it serves to fight crime.
As a community we are committed to the concepts of sector and community policing as laid out in law and SAPS policy. We are convinced that it is only through a vibrant partnership with the community that SAPS can fulfil its constitutional mandate to prevent, combat and investigate crime, to maintain public order and to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic.
We are no longer willing to top the charts year after year for crimes like housebreaking and hijackings. We believe the rate of crime in this area is so high principally for two reasons:
1. The partnership with the community as envisaged in SAPS sector and community policing policy does not exist and thus SAPS are doing their work without the vital assistance of the community.
2. The leadership of SAPS in Pinetown has failed to ensure basic operational necessities such as staff and vehicles have been taken care of. Morale and discipline appear to be at an all time low as a result.
Thus, in addition to the specific issues laid out in the memorandum submitted by the Pinetown Community Police Forum, in my capacity as ward councillor for Pinetown central, I request the following:
1. That a suitably experienced, qualified and motivated Policeman be found to replace the station commander at Pinetown SAPS.
2. That this person be given all the administrative and logistical support he/she requires to sort out the staff, vehicle, training, morale and discipline problems at Pinetown SAPS.
3. That, in accordance with the law and SAPS policy, the concept of Community Policing be embraced by the new station commander and sector commanders be tasked with ensuring a close working relationship with community living in their sectors.
4. That the confusing situation of sub-fora demarcation being different to sector demarcation be regularised so that Sector and Community policing in Pinetown can be harmonised.
5. That SAPS Pinetown publicly commits itself to ensuring that every available Policeman and women will be committed to effectively discharging the responsibilities of the Police Service as laid out in the Constitution and the Act.
I believe these issues are serious enough that the response to this and the CPF memorandum be delivered in person. I thus, request that the above the responded to in the form of an address at a Public Meeting at a venue to be announced on Sunday 7 November, 2010.
Yours faithfully
Councillor WB Chapman
Ward 18
eThekwini Municipality
