Mitchell’s Plain Safety and Development Forum to be formed with community-led criteria

The Mitchell’s Plain Safety and Development Forum will be established based on specific criteria to ensure broad representation and effective community involvement.

A series of meetings has been held to guide the preparation of Mitchell’s Plain Safety and Development Plan, bringing together community organisations, law enforcement, and government departments to shape the structure and its objectives.

("Mitchell’s Plain safety plan moves forward with community input" Plainsman August 16 and "Stakeholders to refine Mitchell’s Plain safety plan ahead of budget deadline" August 20).

A meeting held on Tuesday, September 2, at the Mitchell’s Plain police station focused on the criteria for forum membership.

Members are expected to be residents of Mitchell’s Plain, belong to local structures, or have proven experience in their field. Non-residents may participate if they have a vested interest and are actively involved in the area, but external members cannot exceed 25% of the total.

All members will undergo vetting, and representation from every area of Mitchell’s Plain across sectors is required, said Hilton Arendse, acting head of the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety.

The forum is scheduled to be finalised by Saturday, September 20, at which point the structure will assume leadership.

The process will include the launch of two safe spaces and planning around strategy, safe zones, and addressing current challenges, said Mr Arendse. “The focus is on building a structure that can drive the plan,” he said, adding that resources, office space, and administrative support will be provided.

The pilot programme will begin in Mitchell’s Plain and later expand to Nyanga, Delft, Khayelitsha, Philippi-East, Gugulethu, and Mfuleni. It will eventually include economic opportunities such as workplace skills and productivity training, which will be developed in due course, he said.

Norman Jantjes, chairperson of Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF), said the forum is a positive step. “For the first time, we will have an integrated strategy to address gangsterism and crime,” he said.

Lynn Phillips from the Cape Flats Safety Forum highlighted the importance of community participation.

“Plans that were to be put into place in the past, like RDP and urban renewal, failed due to leadership conflicts and a lack of cooperation. For this to work, communities need to participate fully, strengthen collaboration, and make our neighborhoods safer for all children,” Ms Phillips said.

Denzil Sampson, Mitchell’s Plain CPF deputy chairperson, said faith leaders play a key role in combating crime by engaging their communities alongside police and safety structures.

Wendy Abrahams, director of Advance Edukos Foundation, said: “The voices of young people are crucial and need to be heard. They benefit when communities are safer, with spaces to play, explore, and create. We need to reclaim our neighborhoods and ensure these safe spaces for children and youth.”