03 Jul Launch of Community Safety Forum in East London.

On 27 June 2023, the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality hosted a Community Safety Forum Launch at Christian Centre Church in East London.

The South African Police Service (SAPS), Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), Department of Community Safety (DoCS), Community Policing Forum(CPF), Law Enforcement Agency, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD), Civilian Secretariat for Police, Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Liquor Board, Border-Kei of Business (BKCOB), National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC), Non-Governmental Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, Security Cluster and Emergency Medical Services are among the stakeholders that graced the programme with their presence.

Mrs Lizelle Maurice the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Border Kei of Business Chamber gave a background on the establishment of the Community Safety Forum and outlined its main objectives.

“To coordinate and promote crime prevention; synergize an integrated planning & budgeting between government departments on matters of community safety & security; facilitate the implementation of government, community partnerships capabilities on matters of community safety; strategically consult and engage communities to organize structures to participate in the development of local planning and monitoring of safety, security & developmental plans,” she stated while further reiterating that Community Safety Forums are not an implementing agent institution but rather a connecting structure for effective crime prevention, safety & security.

Meanwhile, the Department of Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha spoke on the legislations that guided the establishment of the Community Safety Forums.  “As we officially launch the Community Safety Forum (CSF), we are remanded that it is exactly a year now that we tragically lost 21 young lives at Scenary Park Enyobeni Tavern. It is a moment in history where the social fibre of our Province was striped naked. We may launch these crime fighting structures and have boots in every corner, but if the basic unit of social order (Family Unit) is not playing its central role, we may be fighting a losing battle. We are launching the CFS in the BCM to mobilize all the sectors of society to work together in each & every ward and be a formidable army that is there to uproot all criminal elements,” said MEC Nqatha.

He also touched on the dire need to establish partnerships with the Border Kei Business Chamber and NAFCOC to intensify the fight against crime in the BCM.