Jacques Baartman, Rocklands, Mitchell's Plain Schools Sports Development Forum
Addressed to Anroux Marais, MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, in response to the article ("Mitchell’s Plain safety and development plan: proposed budget submitted for approval"Plainsman October 27) published on Wednesday, October 27, has reference.
It is with utter disgust and deep disappointment that I have to write to you for a second time on the same matters and express my honest opinion about the Mitchell's Plain Development and Safety Plan that awaits approval.
We want to unreservedly distance our organisation from any and all decisions taken because we have been continuously overlooked and ignored, despite our longstanding engagement and expertise within the community of Mitchell's Plain.
I want to place on record, as you are aware, we have been consistently committed to advancing safety, development, and community empowerment, but we are not considered good enough to be taken seriously.
Despite your undertaking to remedy the situation, we have never been consulted, and in a litany of previous correspondence over a considerable period of time, you have developed a reputation for not acknowledging, or showing common decency to at the very least respond.
This exclusion is deeply troubling, as it undermines both the inclusivity of public participation and the effectiveness of interventions intended to benefit the very same community we serve.
Meaningful development requires collaboration with organisations that operate on the ground and understand the complex social dynamics at play.
Our exclusion represents a significant failure of leadership and a breach of trust and accountability, particularly in light of previously failed programmes under your watch, with a waste of billions of rands of poor taxpayers’ money, which is a total disgrace with no tangible results.
Decisions affecting the safety and future of Mitchells Plain, and that of our youth, cannot continue to be made without the active participation of those most active on the ground.
Please note that, in the interest of transparency and accountability, we will (as we hereby do) be compelled to release this letter to the media if a satisfactory response is not received within seven (7) working days from receipt hereof.
We also demand, as we hereby do, clarity on how previous monies were spent in related safety and development programmes.
I trust our concerns will be taken seriously and look forward to your prompt reply.
Ishaam Davids, Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety communications spokesperson, responds:
The aforementioned organisation was provided the opportunity to partner with the Western Cape Government (WCG) in order to establish the Mitchells Plain Safety and Development Plan.
Numerous stakeholder engagements were held in Mitchells Plain to collaboratively plan and draft the initiative, ensuring that the process was inclusive, transparent, and community-driven.
Our Department strongly relied on the support of local Community Police Forums (CPFs) and Neighbourhood Watches to assist in onboarding stakeholders during the initial stages of these engagements.
Every effort was made to include all relevant parties, and a public advertisement was also issued inviting community members and organisations to serve on the Mitchells Plain Safety and Development Forum.
It is further noted that the aggrieved entity is not a registered organisation. Nevertheless, the opportunity remains available for the entity to participate in upcoming planning sessions to collectively establish and strengthen the Safety Plan.
After the establishment of the Forum, all stakeholders wishing to join should engage the Forum and will not be separately engaged.