- The Bellville Community Police Forum held its annual general meeting, electing Marius Coetser as the new chair.
- Coetser emphasised the importance of teamwork in tackling crime.
- He also expressed his commitment to collaborating with local neighbourhood.
A caring Bellville community expressed shared satisfaction following their local community police forum’s (CPF) swift elective annual general meeting (AGM) last Thursday 17 October which saw Marius Coetser elected as its new chair.
Speaking from his experience as the former chair of the Oakdale Neighbourhood Watch (ONW), Coetser told TygerBurger he looks forward to his first term on the CPF committee.
“I’m looking forward to the new challenge; I believe it will be a great experience. I have served as an ONW patroller before I served my two years as its chair.”
The now semi-retired Coetser believes team work and cooperation is the winning recipe for his term as chair.
“I endeavour to get to know the chairs of our partnering neighbourhood watches and believe Bellville police, under its new management, will ensure a good dynamic team.”
New committee
The following members newly elected are:
- Charlotte du Toit, vice chair;
- Davian ver Neel, secretary;
- Lt Col Fienie Nimb, assistant secretary;
- Nuraan Ahmed, treasurer;
- Gerda Gerber, public relations; and
- Natasha de Villiers, project coordinator.
The Tygerberg sub district police commissioner Brig Donovan Heilbron said this AGM held in the Sanlam Auditorium in Strand Road was all about officiating the brand new committee.
“I sincerely hope all the protocols have been followed.
“I know Bellville is very strongly community police orientated and that there are a lot of partnerships in this neck of the woods.”
For Heilbron, it’s all about having a representative CPF.
“When the elections are done, we will have a fully-fledged induction session because the constitution and certain legislation have changed and not everyone knows everything about these changes.”
He reflected on Bellville facing predominantly property-related crimes, but continued to recognise that, of recent years, contact crimes like assaults have increased due to an influx of people in the local population.
“We are all here because we are concerned with crime. We cannot allow less than 2% of criminals to hold 98% of law-abiding citizens hostage. And it depends on all of us.
“If we work together and leave our egos aside, we can face the common goal of getting rid of these criminalities.”
