MEDIA ALERT: MEC Plato signs historic NHW MOA with the Cityof Cape Town

MEDIA ALERT: Minister Plato signs historic Neighbourhood Watch MOA with the City of Cape Town

Tomorrow, Saturday 30 September 2017, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety, Dan Plato, will ceremoniously confirm a historic Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) brokered between the Western Cape Department of Community Safety and the City of Cape Town in support of accredited Neighbourhood Watches across the City.

The agreement reached between the two spheres of government this week aims to see coordinated and complimentary support from both the City and Provincial Government to accredited Neighbourhood Watch structures within the City of Cape Town boundaries, under the ,first of its kind, legal framework created for NHW structures within the Western Cape Community Safety Act.

The ceremonial signing will take place during a mass information session with Neighbourhood Watches from across the metro, organised by the City of Cape Town, to update neighbourhood watches on accreditation, policing resources as compiled by the Department of Community Safety and feedback from the City.

The Department of Community Safety believes Neighbourhood Watches play an integral role in our communities. It is therefore important that government collectively supports and enable the effective working of proactive community based structures such as NHWs as key safety partners in communities.

Accreditation of Neighbourhood Watches also cements their relationship with other existing partners such as the South African Police Service, the Community Policing Forums, provincial and local government and other potential safety partners.

The MOA provides the framework of incentives and accountability, including resourcing and training, to provide as many accredited NHWs as possible within the City with access to opportunities in a coordinated manner without duplication of resources.

The Neighbourhood Watch accreditation process includes participation by the Police and Community Policing Forums to help ensure greater cooperation and unity among the entire community based safety fraternity.

Going forward, the Department of Community Safety aims to extend similar agreements to municipalities across the Western Cape to improve support and coordination to accredited Neighbourhood Watches between municipalities, provincial government, police and other safety stakeholders.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and the willingness of active residents to assist the Department in creating safer environments in our communities are appreciated, celebrated and necessary in our ongoing attempts to support the police in both crime fighting and crime prevention activities.

There will be an opportunity for photographs and interviews.

ALL MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

Details:

Date:              Saturday, 30 September 2017

Time:               09:30 – 12:00

Venue:           Council Chambers, Podium Block, Cape Town Civic Centre