Wynberg CPF strengthens community ties with police and crime-fighting partners

The Wynberg Community Police Forum (CPF) has assured the community that it will continue working to strengthen ties between residents, Wynberg police, and their crime-fighting partners.

More than 40 people attended the Wynberg CPF community Imbizo on Saturday, September 20, at Wynberg Civic Centre. Various law enforcement structures, such as Wynberg police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Department of Correctional Services, and Law Enforcement, were present to attend to any matters raised by the public.

Wynberg CPF chairperson, Suzanne Japhta, said it was important to engage with these role players at a forum of this level to strengthen working bonds, show transparency and accountability to the community.

“We wanted to give the community a chance to engage with the various roleplayers as well as give them the opportunity to understand how all the various facets fit into one another,” she said.

Wynberg police station commander Colonel Andre Coetzee said they are currently focusing on crimes like robberies in the Wynberg CBD and would like to warn the public to be careful of cellphone theft when walking in public.

“We find that many people are walking with their phones in the street on display or have their phone against their ear, and that provides an opportunity for criminals to grab these phones,” he said. 

 Colonel Coetzee said that theft out of a motor vehicle has also been a problem in Wynberg as motorists leave valuables visible in their car.

“We find that perpetrators see this as an opportunity to break into the vehicles and steal these valuables,” he said.

Colonel Coetzee welcomes these meetings with various role players at these community meetings. “Having the Wynberg CPF, with the NPA, Correctional Services, and Law Enforcement allowed these different spheres to address the public on how they deal with various matters and services they provide to the public,” he said.

NPA regional court prosecutor, Ashleigh Youle said that if the public has any ongoing criminal matter, they could either contact the police or the state prosecutor who is dealing with a criminal matter.

Ms Youle said that they would provide any updates to the public on pending criminal matters that they are involved with, if they know which court is handling that matter.

They can contact the police investigating the case or the prosecutor handling the matter once they have the relevant details to follow up,” she said.

Ms Japtha said they would like to keep the public up to date on various dedicated WhatsApp groups for communications, which are used to relay pertinent crime trends or incidents to the community.

If anyone would like to be part of this WhatsApp group, email Wynberg CPF at Wynbergcpf5@gmail.com for more information.