With drug related crime and gangsterism plaguing Lentegeur, the Lentegeur sector of the Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) says the only way to fight crime is if the community works in a partnership with the police. This was discussed at a meeting on Monday night with the new Mitchell’s Plain Commissioner General Greg Goss.

One of the main issues discussed with the Lentegeur precinct was community mobilization. The Lentegeur precinct consists of all the residents of Lentegeur who serve Lentegeur police station.

Upon the introduction of the new cluster commander, they urged the community to get involved to fight and monitor crime.

“We want the community to have a meeting with SAPS monthly to address and regulate crime in the area,” says CPF public relations officer Ismail Petersen.

They determined that the only way crime in the area can be tackled is if the community works with the police. The community were encouraged to assist the police where they could and were reassured that if they address the police with issues, they will not be turned away but a collaborative solution would be reached.

“Without the community we of the CPF will not know what is happening in the area. If there is a sector vehicle patrolling in the area we depend on the community to assist us by informing us of what is happening in the area,” says Petersen.

Although nothing has been implemented yet there are structures like the neighbourhood watches that have always served the community. Currently there are community policing sectors in Lentegeur who are registered with the sub-forum and they have regular meetings reporting and resolving issues plaguing the area. A few of these sectors include The Street Committee, Neighbourhood Watches and The Business Forum.

“If there is a robbery we expect the Business Forum to deal with it and the community to come together to address the issue. Sometimes it makes the job that little bit easier,” says Petersen. VOC (Nailah Cornelissen)