AfriForum: Middelburg branch joins forces with Cluster Police Service
On 7 February 2017 the AfriForum branch in Middelburg confirmed their cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) by handing over a copy of the cooperative agreement to the commander of the Middelburg Cluster SAPS. This agreement was reached between AfriForum and the SAPS in Centurion on 16 January 2017.
Maj.genl. TC Sithole, Cluster Commander of Middelburg, received the agreement on behalf of the eight police stations out of which the Middelburg Cluster consists.
“This agreement means that AfriForum is now officially recognised as a partner in the fight against crime. It also means that the SAPS is willing to work with us on a local and national level. It is very important for AfriForum to be seen as an organisation, that alongside the SAPS, can be involved with safety operations within the framework of the law,” says Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s Regional Coordinator for Mpumalanga West.
“Both AfriForum and the SAPS is now stronger due to the agreement and it promotes unity within communities. AfriForum does not see this as an exclusive agreement; we want to encourage other organisations to also come to similar agreements with the SAPS so that we can combat crime,” says Chris Olivier, Chairperson of the AfriForum neighbourhood watch branch in Middelburg.
“AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches provide different benefits to members, such as accidental death benefit, emergency transport, legal assistance, training and many more. We want to encourage local residents to join us in the fight against crime; we can no longer afford to be divided,” adds Johan de Beer, Chairperson of the AfriForum branch in Middelburg.
