A policy document geared at regulating Community-Based Safety Structures in the Eastern Cape has raised the concern of a rural safety forum in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The directive issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety in Bhisho states that all neighbourhood watches in the Eastern Cape must agree to and sign the policy document and adhere to its regulations.
Willie Bosch is the chairman of the Kabega Rural Safety Forum to which 11 neighbourhood watches are affiliated in the rural farming districts of The Bay.
He's appealing to representatives of all neighbourhood watches in the Metro to attend an urgent meeting to discuss the matter at the Londt Park Sports Club in Fernglen on Tuesday evening 22 November - at 6.30 pm.
"We want to share the documentation we have received from Community Safety and also show to them that this new documentation is a way of stopping neighbourhood watches from operating the way they are at the moment," said Bosch.
"Its cutting neighbourhood watches short and my feeling is that Bhisho is trying to disband them in the long run."
Bosch shared the Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety's policy document on neighbourhood watches with AlgoaFM News.
The original document was penned in 2021 and was signed and approved for immediate implementation earlier this year by then Community Safety MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe.
It lists a number of policy guidelines, including that neighbourhood watches need to seek approval from a local Community Policing Forum to operate - and to be accountable to this forum and the police.
It states that the policy is binding on all neighbourhood watches and that if they do not adhere to it then they must be disbanded.
The policy document concludes that community-based safety structures need to be above reproach and uphold the Bill of Rights as enshrined in the Constitution at all times.
