Held at the Kingsgate Fellowship, Table View

COMMUNITY POLICE FORUM (CPF)Sector 3

Minutes of the Bambanani

held at the Kingsgate Fellowship, Table View

13.6.2013

IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS:

SECTOR 3 POLICE VAN : 082417 4506 / 079-894 1456

SAPS :WO Prins / 079-894 1454

CPF Chairman :Andrew Brace / 083-306 2254

CPF –Sector 3 Chairperson :Trevor Nisbet / 076-093 9828

NW – Sector 3 Captain : Derick Sinden / 082-371 2428

CPF Website:

CPF Facebook page:CPF Table View

PRESENT:

See Attendance Register on file

APOLOGIES:

Rene Butzer
Alex Lepnik
Ken Jayes
Alan Baines
Catherine Pretorius
MINUTES / ACTION

1. WELCOME & THANKS:
2. Trevor Nisbet, Table View CPF Sector 3 Chairperson, opened the meeting and welcomed all those present. He also welcomed Col. Vosloo, SAPS Table View Station Commander.

1.2.Trevor thanked Pastor Arthur Vos of the Kingsgate Fellowship, Table View, for enabling the CPF Sector 3 to hold their meeting at this venue.

1. ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES:

2.1. The attendance register was completed and apologies noted.
2.2. Trevor requested everyone present to check that their contact details are correct in the register. He explained that correct contact details are important to enable good communication with Sector 3 residents.

1. CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES:
2. Minutes of the 16.5.2013 meeting were tabled as read.

3.2.Minutes of this meeting will be posted on the TVCPF website.

1. THE ROLE OF THE CPF:

Trevor explained the concept of CPF for the benefit of newcomers. The CPF is a public forum working to liaise communication between SAPS, the NW, security companies and the public. The CPF also works to communicate and channel the concerns of the community to the police and vice versa. The CPF has an excellent working relationship with SAPS in our area.

1. STREET COMMITTEES:
2. Trevor Nisbet gave the Street Committees report on behalf of Rene Butzer, the CPF Sector 3 Street Committees Coordinator, who was unable to attend tonight.

5.2.Trevor explained that Street Committees is an initative to promote community building - for residents to get to know their neighbours.
5.3.By getting to know your neighbours and knowing what is going on in your street, you and your neighbourhood can become much stronger in promoting a safe and secure environment for you and your families.
5.4.By getting involved in Street Committees, residents take back their own streets, keep a wary eye out for potential criminals and look out for their neighbours.
5.5.Rene Butzer is working hard at promoting Street Committees in Table View, Sector 3. The number of Street Committees are growing. We are hoping for a snowball effect and that eventually every street in Table View will have a Street Committee.
5.6.Any queries and requests for support on Street Committees can be directed to Rene Butzer at:
082-224-4191 or

1. TRAFFIC, LIGHTING, PARKS & OPEN SPACES:
2. Johan van den Berg, the recently appointed Chairperson of Table View Ratepayers’ Association (TVRA), stood in for Alex Lepnik, Vice Chairperson of CPF Sector 3, who was unable to attend tonight.

6.2.Johan explained that the TVRA’s mandate is to advance the concerns of all ratepayers and residents of the greater Table View area. They work closely with other forums, associations, NGOs and Law Enforcement, as well as the local Ward Counsellors to promote and sustain service delivery and standard of living for everyone in our community.
6.3.Traffic, Lights,Parks & Public Open Spaces:
The TVRA is putting pressure on the City of Cape Town by promoting the logging of service requests from resident who have problems with traffic, lights, parks and open spaces, as well as other issues. Johan said that there have been around 100 logins over the last three to four weeks. He was glad to report that, if logged correctly, around 50% of those complaints were dealt with immediately.
6.2. It was the the more complicated issues that have not been dealt with to everyone’s satisfaction. However, the TVRA will continue its efforts to address all issues affecting our community.
6.3. All are welcome to attend the next TVRA meeting on Monday, 1 July at the West Coast Family Church, Table View. Johan will be teaching everyone at the meeting how to log in service complaints on the TVRA website.

1. SAPS REPORT:
2. Col. Vosloo, SAPS Table View Station Commander, welcomed all newcomers who were attending their first Bambanani.

7.2.He explained that the SAPS jurisdiction for Table View starts at Dolphin Beach, continues all the way up the West Coast as far as the Atlantic Golf Estate, then inland to the N7, back along Koeberg Road as far as the municipal waterworks then back to Dolphin Beach across the Rietvlei.
7.3.The Table View SAPS jurisdiction is so large that it is divided into three sectors.
-Sector 1 includes Table View on the coastal side of the R27.
-Sector 2 includes the ever, rapidly expanding communities of Parkland and Sunningdale.
-Sector 3 covers the communities bordered by the R27 on the west, Pentz Drive and the Rietvlei on the south, Gie Road on the east and Raatz Drive on the north. It also includes the informal settlement at Doornbach – Site 5.
7.4.Col. Vosloo spent some time explaining the types of crime committed in Table View. He admitted that the SAPS precinct is woefully understaffed and despite the expanding Sector 2, he does not expect to get any increase in staff within the forseeable future.
7.5.The allocation of SAPS staff is not in the hands of the Station Commander, but in those of the Provincial Police Commissioner.
7.6.Joy MacCarthy, Ward 4 Councillor, reminded everyone that SAPS falls under National Government and not under Municipal Government. Local Municipal Councillors therefore do not have much influence on the numbers of SAPS personnel that can be allocated. She would however raise these concerns at appropriate meetings.
7.7.Col. Vosloo said that because of this situation, the only way that we can decrease crime in our area is for all stakeholders, including Neighbourhood Watch, CPF, other law enforcement agencies and security companies, as well as members of the community, to continue the excellent working relationship they already have with SAPS.
7.8.Col. Vosloo applauded the initiative to build a network of Street Committees in the greater Table View area. This is a basic, but very important structure that will go a long way in fighting crime in our area.
7.9.Questions from the audience:
Various members of the audience posed questions:
-Schulla Pronk stated that every citizen is fingerprinted for their IDs. So does the SAPS have access to these fingerprint databases for crimesolving purposes?
-Col. Vosloo answered that unfortunately SAPS does not have access to these fingerprint databases, but he understands that there is movement in Parliament to enable Law Enforcement to have access to this data. This will go a long way in helping to solve acts of crime.
-Schulla Pronk further stated that Patricia de Lille, the mayor of Cape Town, will be holding a meeting in Dunoon next Thursday. Could SAPS give interested residents police transport to attend that meeting?
-Col. Vosloo said he would see what he could arrange.
-Schulla Pronk also asked if bin-digging is a crime? She had heard that many bin-diggers do not only sell the material they have collected, but also information regarding opportunities for crime.
-Col. Vosloo replied that we, the residents within our communities, should take more responsibility for our actions. We are too lazy to recycle and simply dump our refuse and used things out on the streets. What we do attracts bin diggers into our communities.
-Andrew Freeborn said that he had spoken to local displaced persons in recent weeks and had noticed that their numbers have dropped from around 20–30 down to 2 or 3. Yet Col. Vosloo’s crime stats indicate that local crime has gone up during the same period. What is the correlation between the drop in bin-diggers and the rise in crime in our area?
-Col. Vosloo replied that bin-diggers personally are not the main reason for crimes committed in our area. However, they do build a camouflage for other criminal elements to operate in our community.
-Trevor added that the issue of displaced persons living outdoors in our community is an ongoing problem for all stake-holders to deal with. It continues to be a juggling act that requires solutions. Being homeless is not a crime. The CPF is therefore working closely with local NGOs, social workers and Ward Councillors, looking for ways to enable the local displaced persons move off the streets and into more dignified accommodation.
-Trevor used the example of the baby-drop at Anybody’s Inn that had to be abandoned because a group of displaced people had taken over that space, making it unsafe for mothers with babies to approach and use it.
-Trevor further said that it has been shown that many of the people living on our streets do in fact have homes in places such as Atlantis. However, often they prefer to remain here close to our trash bins. No sooner have they been moved than they are back again. Again, residents should withdraw the incentive for bin-diggers to live on our streets. Start recycling.
-A question was raised about if there was a list of safe houses for asylum seekers in our area.
-Col. Vosloo replied that there is a list at the local police station. Councillor Joy McCarthy added that such safe houses were generally rental properties. Col. Vosloo then went on to say that a great number of rental properties, such as those in the Parklands complexes were being abused and not maintained. This is a continuing problem.
-Two members of the audience congratulated SAPS, NW and the various forums for their work in the community. One asked what could be done to help.
-Trevor replied that it was for all of us to become involved citizens. The more we stand together and raise our communal voice, the stronger we shall be as a community.
-Leon Alhadeff stated that he felt that there is a sense of apathy within the community where parents are not taking responsibility for the behaviour of their children. He wanted to know what the CPF was doing about this situation.
-One member of the audience added that she felt that there was too little being done within the community to motivate its youth.
-Trevor answered that the CPF does have a Schools Forum and a Church Forum where issues of local youth are being addressed.
-Councillor Joy McCarthy added her voice to say that the local councillors are aware that there is practically no space for our local youth to do things. For instance, there are no community halls in Parklands. Plans are therefore afoot to create a skate park and other amenities for our local youth.
7. 9.Sector 3 Patrol Vehicle Numbers:
079-894-1456
082-417-4506

1. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH FEEDBACK:
2. Derick Sinden, Table View Sector 3 NW Captain, thankedW.O. Prins, SAPS Table View Sector 3 Commander, for his tireless and sterling work in our community.

8.2.Derick urged everyone to become proactive and involved in the community. Become part of the solution. Look out for your neighbours; join the NW and build your own Street Committees.
8.3.Derick requestedmembers of the public to stop negative criticism of the Neighbourhood Watch in the media and on social sites such as Facebook. The Neighbourhood Watch welcomes criticism, but it needs to be constructive and sent through the right channels.
8.4.Derick reiterated that the Table View Neighbourhood Watch works according to the stringents rules and regulations of the Western Cape Provincial Constitution and Code of Conduct for Neighbourhood Watches. New members are screened, must obtain a police clearance and negotiate a filtering process. Both the Neighbourhood Watch, as well as the CPF, police Neighbourhood Watch volunteers and they can be suspended if found to have broken rules.
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8.5.The NW medical division is being established. Because NW members are often the first people to arrive at a critical incident, if trained in medical aid, they are able to stabilize a patient until the paramedics arrive. NW members are being trained to a minimum of level 3 or even higher for this support. The prime aim of the NW to protect and support their neighbours.
8.6.Derick stressed that the NW is grateful for any level of input from residents. He added that it is heartwarming to see increasing numbers of young people joining the NW and moving through its ranks.Also,Table View NW has a 140 new members who have recently joined.
8.7.Anyone interested in getting more information about the Table View Neighbourhood Watch is welcome to join them for an introduction at their patrol room at the Parkland’s Police Station any Monday evening at 7pm.
8.8.Contact NW on
Neighbourhood Watch emergency number: 084-383-1814

1. DATE OF NEXT MEETING:

The next TVCPF Sector 3 public meeting will take place on Thursday, 18 July, 2013 at 19h00.
Venue: Kingsgate Fellowship, Athens Road, Table View. / Trevor Nisbet
Trevor Nisbet/
Delia Pfenninger
Trevor Nisbet
Trevor Nisbet
Johan van den Berg
Col Vosloo
Col. Vosloo
Joy McCarthy
Col. Vosloo /
Trevor Nisbet /
Joy McCarthy
Col. Vosloo /
Trevor Nisbet /
Joy McCarthy
Derick Sinden
ALL

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