History and Timeline

Potchefstroom’s Community Policing Forum (CPF) was established in the mid-1990s as part of the South African Police Service Act’s mandate to involve communities in policing​. The CPF serves as a legally constituted body that facilitates cooperation between the local police (SAPS Potchefstroom) and the community.

Over the years, the Potchefstroom CPF has evolved through regular elections and community initiatives, playing a key role in crime prevention and fostering police accountability.

Some key milestones include:

 Figure: Timeline of major events for the Potchefstroom CPF (1995–2024).

• 1990s: Potchefstroom CPF is formally constituted following post 1994 policing reforms, aligning with national policy to have CPFs at each police station​ facebook.com.

• 2016: CPF Chairperson Jeanne Adriaanse represents the community during unrest, for example, she worked with SAPS to negotiate during a worker protest in May 2016 ​iono.fm. The CPF’s involvement underscored its role in mediating between citizens and police during local crises.

• 2017–2018: A new SAPS station commander, Brigadier Steven Moodley, was appointed in 2017​ news.nwu.ac.za, who actively supported CPF initiatives. Under CPF Chairperson Malan le Roux (elected by the CPF sectors), the first-ever Potchefstroom crime summit was held in June 2018, bringing together police, the CPF, and stakeholders to strategize against rising crime​ citizen.co.za.

• 2019: Regular 5-year CPF elections took place. In April 2019, sector meetings elected new sector committees and on 10 April a new CPF Executive Committee was chosen ​citizen.co.za. This ushered in new leadership for the 2019–2024 term. (CPF sectors 1–4 cover different neighborhoods of Potchefstroom , ensuring broad community representation in the CPF executive.)

• 2020: The CPF convened a special general meeting (7 December 2020) to fill vacancies for treasurer and communication officer, reflecting an evolving team. Community members with relevant skills were invited to step up ​citizen.co.za. (Candidates were instructed to send CVs to the CPF secretary by email​ demonstrating transparent recruitment.)

• 2023: The CPF under Chairperson Trudie Botha gained provincial recognition. At the North West SAPS Excellence Awards (Nov 2023), Potchefstroom CPF was awarded second runner-up in the “Community Police Forum of the Year” category ​citizen.co.za. This honor came alongside SAPS Potchefstroom being named the Best Police Station in NW, highlighting effective CPF-police collaboration.

• 2024: Longtime station commander Brig. Moodley retired in April 2024 after 41 years of service​ citizen.co.za​ /news.nwu.ac.za. Under his tenure, the CPF and police had strengthened ties (including joint initiatives like campus safety forums). A new SAPS commander is expected to continue supporting CPF efforts beyond 2024.

Members and Leadership

The Potchefstroom CPF is led by an Executive Committee comprised of elected sector representatives and office bearers. Leadership terms are typically five years​ citizen.co.za, with elections ensuring community oversight. Below is a list of notable CPF members (past and present) and their roles:

Community Policing Sectors: 

Potchefstroom CPF divides the city into four sectors with their own committees​ citizen.co.za. Each sector elects a chair and delegates to the CPF Executive. For example, Sector 4 (NWU campus area) has included members from the university security ​scribd.com. This structure ensures every area, from suburban neighborhoods (Grimbeekpark, Baillie Park, etc.) to rural outskirts, has representation in CPF decisions ​citizen.co.za.

Contact Information

Residents can reach the Potchefstroom CPF or participate via multiple channels. Key contact points include a dedicated phone line, email, and social media platforms for updates:

Note: The CPF also operates WhatsApp neighborhood watch groups covering various suburb s​x.com. Community members can join these to receive real-time crime alerts and report incidents. The CPF’s social media is very active in disseminating information on crime trends, safety tips, and upcoming meetings, ensuring broad communication with the public.

Activities, Initiatives and News

Potchefstroom CPF has been involved in numerous community safety initiatives, often in partnership with SAPS, local government, and citizen groups. Below is a chronologically ordered summary of notable news, events, and projects:

• Crime Prevention and Patrols: The CPF works closely with SAPS on visible policing. In 2018, the CPF co-hosted a Crime Summit with police, where community members brainstormed solutions to local crime spikes ​citizen.co.za. By 2022–2023, a “Community in Blue” volunteer patrol initiative was deployed in the CBD: 20 vetted community volunteers patrolled daily as “eyes and ears” of the police, drastically reducing theft and assaults downtown​. CPF Chair Trudie Botha noted that after CPF meetings, these volunteers even patrolled after dark, leading the CPF to procure flashlights for them. The CPF credited the partnership between police, CPF, and Community in Blue for a significant drop in crime in formerly high-risk areas​.

• Community Outreach & Education: The CPF regularly organizes or supports awareness campaigns. In one instance, the CPF collaborated with the SAPS Potchefstroom Women’s Forum to run a school coloring competition in March 2024, raising funds for a local primary school and educating children about policing​ citizen.co.za. CPF leaders (Trudie Botha and others) attended prize givings to reinforce positive police-community interaction. The CPF also planned a drug awareness campaign targeting youth in 2018/2019, though it had to be rescheduled due to partner availability (NWU was the intended stakeholder)​ provincialgovernment.co.za.

  
  

• Crime Reporting and Mediation: CPF members often act as intermediaries when community issues arise. During a labor protest in May 2016 that saw 1,500 protesters blocking a Potch industrial area road, CPF Chair Jeanne Adriaanse worked with police on the ground, providing communication and negotiation with demonstrators ​iono.fm. The CPF also routinely encourages the public to report crime and has highlighted anonymous tip-off channels in meetings to improve trust​citizen.co.za.

• Awards and Recognition: Potchefstroom CPF’s effectiveness has been formally recognized. In November 2023, at the SAPS North West Excellence Awards, the CPF (under Trudie Botha’s leadership) earned 2nd Runner-Up for Community Police Forum of the Year ​citizen.co.za. This accolade, alongside the local station commander’s awards, indicates a thriving partnership. Earlier, the CPF was noted as one of the top forums in North West province, exemplifying best practices in community policing.

• Collaboration with Institutions: The CPF has forged ties with North-West University (NWU) and the municipality. Brig. Moodley, CPF, and NWU established a Higher Education Safety Forum and supported the city’s Improvement District (CID) around campus​. Police assigned officers to work with campus security, a move that CPF applauded as contributing to NWU becoming one of the safest campuses nationally ​news.nwu.ac.za. The CPF also sits on the JB Marks Local Community Safety Forum, coordinating with city officials on issues like street lighting, bush clearance, and urban design to deter crime​ citizen.co.za​.

The CPF communicates its activities through press releases and the local media (e.g., Potchefstroom Herald frequently covers CPF-related news). Regular CPF public meetings are held, where police present crime statistics and CPF members discuss community concerns. These meetings and subsequent actions (like arranging more patrols or neighborhood watches) are often reported as success stories in reducing crime.

Partnerships and Affiliated Organizations

Beyond its core work, the Potchefstroom CPF is affiliated with various community safety structures:

• Neighborhood Watch Groups: Many suburbs in Potchefstroom have their own Neighbourhood Watches that coordinate with the CPF. The CPF has helped set up WhatsApp groups for these watches ​x.com. For example, areas like Grimbeekpark and Baillie Park have patrol groups whose leaders attend CPF sector meetings. The CPF provides a communication bridge so that information from these groups (suspicious activities, trends) reaches SAPS promptly.

• Community in Blue: As noted, the Community in Blue is a SAPS-driven volunteer program active in Potchefstroom’s CBD ​citizen.co.za. CPF and station commanders jointly manage this initiative, deploying vetted civilian patrollers in crime hot-spots. While not a separate organization, it’s an extension of CPF philosophy, engaging citizens in front-line crime prevention.

• Local Government & NGOs: The CPF partners with the JB Marks Municipality on the Community Safety Forum, a multi-agency platform. For instance, in 2016 the municipality’s public safety unit and CPF collaborated on a “de-bushing” project in Ikageng to clear criminal hideouts​ citizen.co.za​. CPF members also work with NGOs on campaigns (e.g., GBV awareness during 16 Days of Activism).

• Provincial CPF Board: Potchefstroom CPF is represented in the North West Provincial CPF Board. This allows sharing of best practices and resources. (Notably, the NW CPF Board chairperson in recent years was Dixson Ngamlane, until his passing in 2020 ​iol.co.za, and the Potchefstroom CPF participated in provincial initiatives under his tenure.)

Overall, the Potchefstroom CPF has become a pillar of the local safety ecosystem, coordinating between the police, community volunteers, businesses, and institutions. By 2025, it boasts a rich history of proactive crime-fighting projects and a strong, award-winning partnership with law enforcement that other towns seek to emulate.

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