Minister Calls for Provincial Commissioner to be Appointed Before CPF Elections

Minister Fritz Calls for Provincial Commissioner to be Appointed Before CPF Elections

Following the reported removal of the Provincial Police Commissioner, Khombinkosi Jula, on 14 July; the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, is calling for the prompt appointment of a new Provincial Commissioner for police. The call to expedite the appointment of the new Provincial Commissioner is based on a number of priorities including the urgent need to address the flare-up of violent crime, gang activities and murders; all of which require capable leadership within the SAPS. Equally, a prompt appointment of a Provincial Commissioner is necessary for the pending elections of the Community Policing Forum (CPFs) which will take place between September and December 2019.

The Provincial Commissioner’s role in the CPF electoral process is outlined in Section 21 of the South African Police Service Act 68 of 1995 which states, “(1) A Provincial Commissioner shall, subject to the directions of the member of the Executive Council [the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz], be responsible for establishing a provincial community police board. (2) A provincial community police board shall, subject to subsection (3), consist of representatives of area community police boards designated for that purpose by the area community police boards in the province concerned. (3) Subject to section 23 (1) (b), the Provincial Commissioner and the members designated by him or her from time to time for that purpose, shall be members of the provincial community police board concerned.”

Minister Fritz said, “CPFs, which are made up of community members, are a critical component of many of our policing strategies and policies. For example CPFs play an important role in facilitating the National Anti-Gang Strategy, the White Paper on Policing, the White Paper on Safety and Security and the Violence Prevention Strategy. We must therefore ensure that CPFs are and remain functional in terms of their statutory functions, as set out in Section 18 of the SAPS Act. It is critically important that a Provincial Commissioner be appointed prior to the CPF elections so as to facilitate a seamless electoral process. This will ensure that CPFs are truly representative of the communities they represent and are able to perform these important policing strategies.”

“I would further like to encourage all community members to involve themselves in their local CFP Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and the upcoming elections. Each and every single citizen of this province needs to contribute to the discussion on safety in their communities. If you or your organisation is interested in joining a CPF, and would like to participate in its activities, please inquire with the Department of Community Safety, or with your local SAPS station commander. You will need to obtain, fill in and submit the necessary application form to register your organisation. You can download the form from the Department of Community Safety’s website at www.westerncape.gov.za by selecting Department of Community Safety. Registration will be open until 22 July 2019.”

Minister Fritz further said, “I have noted that CPF members have met recently with the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, regarding their service delivery needs and the deployment of SANDF in their communities. It is my hope that CPFs will also add the urgent matter of the appointment of a new Provincial Commissioner to their agenda in future meetings with Minister Cele so as to expedite the process.”

Under the leadership of Minister Albert Fritz, the Department of Community Safety will continue to provide the necessary oversight over institutions which safeguard the province.