Warwick Bruce Chapman

The DA supports any effort which aims to increase genuine participation of the community in the fight against crime. There are three key roles the community must play in this fight, and it is important that all three roles are enthusiastically embraced:
1. Make our own neighbourhoods safer by working together to protect our communities
2. Collaborating with the Police to set the crime fighting strategy and plan and execute operations
3. Most importantly, defend and undertake our oversight role and ensure our Police station is providing efficient service delivery to the community

I would like to quote Major-General Jula, our Deputy Provincial Commissioner of Police who said the following in this hall on Sunday:
“We invite the community to join us in the fight against crime by demonstrating a sense / culture of territoriality over their neighbourhoods and playing a role as whistle blowers and our eyes and ears.”

We must take ownership of our neigbourhoods. We must no longer accept what has become a culture of violent crime. We must ensure that known criminals no longer feel comfortable in our homes. We must blow the whistle on criminals and errant Police officers.

All members of SAPS have sworn to fulfill their obligations as laid out in the constitution and I remind you of them:
- to prevent, combat and investigate crime
- to maintain public order
- to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property
- and to uphold and enforce the law

In the course of this partnership it must be remembered that for a partnership to work, both parties must commit themselves. If one of the community or the Police do not play ball, this partnership will fail and crime will be the winner.

We will continue to support the growth and business of Community Police Forums and the formation of neighbourhood watches and street committees affiliated to the CPF. We recognise the role we have to play here and we embrace the opportunity and the responsibility before us.

In response to today’s Daily News article on Brig. Zama page 2 I submit the following:

I will echo something said by Brig. Zama at a CPF meeting earlier this year: “There is only 1 CPF in Pinetown”. He is right, we have one CPF comprising 5 sub-fora. The sub-fora cover roughly, Wyebank, New Germany, Kloof, Pinetown Central and Pinetown South and are named accordingly. Brig. Zama’s contention that there are 2 CPF’s lies in his unhappiness with the high level of activity in the Pinetown Central Sub-forum, composed of mostly white residents of the mostly white central Pinetown area (Manors, Cowie’s Hill, CBD and Industrial).

As a ward councillor it is my responsibility to support the CPF in my ward. When I became a councillor in 2009, the Pinetown Central Sub-forum, which had been filled with people selected by Brig. Zama after the takeover by him of the whole CPF, was defunct, and I managed to get one or two meetings off the ground before the chairperson was kicked out of the CPF on a criminal charge. I invited a retired policeman living in Pinetown, Mr Ken Goldstone, to stand for chair during the AGM which was called to elected a new committee. The AGM was advertised, organised and chaired by the SAPS and only 1 person of colour attended the meeting, Mr Aubrey Ngubane, who I had invited. Mr Ngubane declined nomination to the Chair due to his work commitments but accepted nomination to and was elected as Deputy Chair.

Mr Ngubane has since been seconded to revive the dormant Pinetown South (Ward 16) Sub-forum and I have attended those meetings in place of their own absent ward councillor, Mr Stanley Buthelezi. Fortunately, as a result of the recent focus on crime, Mr Buthelezi attended his own CPF meeting last month and I am hopeful of his continued involvement. I attended the last AGM of the the New Germany (Ward 21) Sub-forum, which, lacking the ongoing support of their Ward 21 Councillor Ms Nelly Nyanisa, has not been active between AGMs. The Kloof (Ward 10) Sub-forum, with the full support of Cllr Gill Noyce is active and meets regularly. The Wyebank Sub-forum appears to be dormant according to report backs at our monthly CPF meeting at Pinetown SAPS where all the sub-fora are supposed to be represented.

I have no doubt that most if not all the names of absent councillors mentioned above will be in full attendance at this Saturday’s meeting of the CPF. That will be the first time this year that other ward councillors attend as is required of them as ex-officio members. I have personally called and timeously invited the other ward councillors in the Pinetown Policing Area at the request of the Pinetown Cluster CPF chair, Mr Sibaca but they did not attend the meeting. Cllr Diana Hoorzuk stated on Sunday that she and her colleagues have not participated in the CPF meetings for two years because they have not received invitations. Protesting that the notices are in the papers, that the meetings are on a fixed schedule, that I had tried to invite the other ward councillors previously, and that perhaps it is also incumbent upon them to find out for themselves, I was advised that unless personally invited for each meeting they could not attend.

Today, coincidentally, for the first time ever, I received a written invitation addressed “Dear Honourable Councillor” to attend Saturday’s CPF meeting. Hopefully, as suggested above, this bodes well for the full participation, as is required of them, by the other 4 ward councillors in the Pinetown policing area.

Brig. Zama chose not to attend either of the two public meetings of which he was well aware. The meetings were advertised in the newspapers and via email to members of the community, which at very least, his crime intelligence team should have got wind of (as I was advised they had). The CPF memorandum was drafted at his behest and he had visibility of it before it was sent to the Provincial Commissioner the first time. The second memorandum was drafted at a later stage, by myself, for the attention of the Provincial Commissioner. Since it was addressed to the PC, it is up to Gen. Ngobeni whether the Brig. was advised of the contents thereof. However, since it is a public document and has been made available since 24 October on my blog at warwickchapman.com, the Brig. can easily source the document should he wish.

I was, however, at both meetings, as were members of the press, and at no stage did anyone say or intimate that we want a white station commander. We want a commander who cares for his members and develops them to their full potential in the very tough fight against crime in Pinetown. We want a commander to bring the rate of crime down to match the trend of the rest of the country instead of up, against the trend. So, in short, Brig. Zama’s quotes contention that “They are saying they want a white commander” is hogwash. Brig. Zama is a race obsessed, manipulative, power-mad dictator. Just ask those who have to work for him… that is if you can find someone not too terrified to speak.

In the end, he is still the Station Commander and I am still the Ward Councillor. We may not like one another, but we have a responsibility to the people living in the Pinetown Policing Area to work together. That is, indeed, what I committed myself to at Sunday’s meeting infront of members of the public from my ward and from a few other wards who attended. That is why, on Monday morning, I was sitting infront of the Brig. at the 09h00 GOCOC meeting talking about the improvement in vehicles, the realigned sectors and the crime statistics for the past weekend. We do have work to do, and that is what we will do, with Brig. Zama while we must, but ideally with a more caring and committed officer at the helm.

I would like to welcome the Deputy Provincial Commissioner to this meeting today and thank him sincerely for making the time to address the concerns of this community.

All was set for a march today but I called off the march on Tuesday and called this meeting instead. I did this because marching today would have meant ignoring the seriousness with which the Provincial Commissioner’s office has taken our cry for help and the immediate steps taken to shore up the fight against crime in this area. We’ve all seen the extra vehicles and manpower, and we’ve all seen the choppers. We know they won’t be here for ever, but I for one sincerely appreciate the both the speed and scale of the response from the Commissioner to our pleas.

When I addressed you two weeks ago, the focus was on the efficiency and quality of the service provided by Pinetown SAPS. Since then, I have received information from anonymous members of Pinetown Police and from members of the public along two broad themes.

Firstly, Pinetown SAPS members have reinforced the assertion I made two weeks ago that morale is at rock bottom. Concerningly it has even been suggested that the proper training, development and support required to allow members to develop to their full potential has been stunted by what one Police member referred to as the Zama-PF dictatorship inside Pinetown SAPS. This is, of course, the man who is said to be the only station commander in the Province who refused to swear an oath that he commit himself to reduce crime in his Policing area.

Secondly, members of the public and anonymous SAPS members have provided me sufficient information to suggest that there are some serious irregularities, both procedural and financial which need to be stamped out. Wasted expenditure, wrongful arrests in order to intimidate business owners, refusing to create cases are but the tip of the iceberg I’m told.

National Commissioner Cele and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa have said some rather unambiguous things about corruption over the past months. Just yesterday Minister Mthethwa said his department is looking at having a corrupt-free police force by this time next year. He said that part of the plan to have a disciplined force with good standing in the community will include extending the period of training from six months to one year, starting with the next intake.

I would like to emphasise part of what the Minister said, “a disciplined force with good standing in the community”. We humbly request nothing less for Pinetown – a disciplined force with good standing in our community.

The minister says the next intake will be free from what he dubs as “cop tsotsi”, saying they want to ensure that the country has the type of police force with men and women who are upright and those who are going to protect the weak in communities.

We don’t want cop tsosti’s in Pinetown. We want dedicated, public servants who we can respect for the crucial role they play in our community. We want our station commander to have such good standing in our community that he is invited to school prizegiving dinners and special events as the honoured guest. We want our Policemen and women to serve as role models to the children they serve to protect.

Mr Deputy Commissioner, our Police Minister and the National Commissioner said also that “corrupt policemen need to be kicked out of the force” and that 54 police officers were arrested last month. If there are corrupt cops at Pinetown SAPS, please help this community and do the Minister’s willing and kick them out of the force!

After the string of horrific murders in the area over the past weeks, some community members started a group on Facebook called “Make CRIMETOWN, PINETOWN again!”. As per usual, I caught some flack from my political opponents who immediately chose their dog-eared race card and suggested that I was trying to get back the Pinetown of the bad old days.

Fortunately, the Minister of Police and the people of Pinetown seem to share the same sentiment. This week at the launch of the festive season anti-crime campaign in Gauteng, the Minister said: “We need Hillbrow and Berea to go back to the beautiful places where we used to live.”

This crusade by the people of Pinetown is not about the Pinetown of the bad old days; it is about making Pinetown in the new South Africa safe and pleasant to live in. It’s about making Pinetown safe and pleasant to live in for all South Africans who may choose to do so.

At the meeting two weeks ago in this hall on 24 October, Ken Goldstone, Deputy-Chair of the Pinetown CPF, and I each handed a memorandum to Brig. Sayer, the Pinetown Cluster Commander, for the attention of the Provincial Commissioner.

For the benefit of those who were not at the previous meeting, in brief, the memoranda requested the following:

The CPF memorandum which was compiled at the request of the Station Commander for the attention of provincial leadership of SAPS:
1. Shortage of trained and experienced detectives
2. Shortage of operational vehicles
3. Shortage of operational computers
4. The moratorium on the recruitment of reservists
5. The maintenance and cleanliness of the building

The memorandum I submitted on behalf of all those who were at the meeting on 24 October:
1. A replacement station commander who is empowered to sort Pinetown SAPS out
2. A renewed commitment from Pinetown SAPS to community policing
3. That the confusing delimitation of the CPF subfora in Pinetown be simplified
4. Lastly, in full “That Pinetown SAPS 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 (Police) Act.

I thus ask you to welcome the (Deputy) Provincial Commissioner of Police to address us today in response to the issues laid out in the memoranda.

NOTE: Major-General Jula then handed over a written copy of the response which he went through for the benefit of those present at the meeting.

The spate of violent crime in the Pinetown area has prompted the community to revolt against the Police station and call for the replacement of the station commander. The multiple murder in Shongweni is yet another tragedy which could be the product of the poor state of Policing in our country at present. Indeed the murderers in last week’s Ashley murder were out on bail.

Our constitution requires that the Police Service must “discharge its responsibilities effectively” and states the object of the Police Service as to “prevent, combat and investigate crime”. It is no secret that too many of our Police are obsessed with power and money and not in the least interested in ensuring the effective discharging of their responsibilities.

The Pinetown community knows that its station is without doubt not effectively discharging its responsibilities, and we’re taking a stand. We expect every available man and vehicle on patrol, every incident of bribery or corruption to result in a dismissal and every instance of dereliction of duty to result in a suspension and disciplinary hearing. The time has come to restore discipline, integrity and a culture of service into our Police Service. Take a stand and assure your rights as afforded to you under our constitution.

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