Last week\u2019s Bellville Community Police Forum (BCPF) meeting saw drama unforetold, with the sudden announcement of the resignation of the organisation\u2019s head and a speaker being told to leave the hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting was led by vice-chair Leonie van der Merwe, who announced the resignation of former chair, Sean Mcleland, due to \u201cpersonal reasons\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The position of chair is held for a term of five years and was last held for this period of time by Hennie Koekemoer, who finished in 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, four people have taken the helm and resigned \u2013 Chery Quantrill, Jean Beukman, Phillip Moller and Mcleland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mcleland didn\u2019t want to comment on rumours that he left the organisation after falling out with another committee member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The different neighbourhood watches then had the opportunity to talk about the biggest issues affecting their areas, with representatives from the Chrismar NHW talking about the problem building in Mooigezicht Street and members of Oakdale talking about the illegally large bus stop in Mabel Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arguably, the biggest drama of the night came after various remarks by different neighbourhood watches regarding sex workers in their areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The patrollers said police weren\u2019t quick enough to arrest perpetrators and the problem was especially worrisome as sexual acts were done in front of schools and next to houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brig Phindiwe Ntungele, station commander, took to the stage and said other roleplayers like the National Prosecuting Agency (NPA) and law enforcement (LE) should also be invited to attend these meetings, as issues were not confined to the police alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ntungele said the police\u2019s hands were chopped off because there was a court order made in 2009 after the police were taken to court by the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force (Sweat) regarding the arrest of sex workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sweat advertises itself as an organisation with the vision of promoting a \u201cSouth Africa where people who choose to sell sex are able to enjoy freedom, rights and human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ntungele said they mainly deter sex work by patrolling hot spots and keeping regular customers at bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She remarked how she was frustrated by this issue herself and how there was an \u201cugly prostitute\u201d with \u201cbig thighs\u201d who she saw on a regular basis and how she irritated her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was easier in previous years she said, when they would just load many suspected sex workers into a van and this would work as a deterrent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She then proceeded to say the department of labour was needed in many cases, as \u201cforeigners\u201d were often the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is uncertain whether she knew that Eugene van Rooyen, Sweat Western Cape area manager, was in the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was called on to talk and said he found it \u201cvery disrespectful\u201d of the group to talk about \u201cprostitutes\u201d instead of sex workers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also found Ntungele\u2019s remarks about foreigners and sex workers unpleasant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word \u201cprostitute\u201d is found distasteful by many, as it criminalises and demeans people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Van Rooyen didn\u2019t have time to talk as he was immediately lambasted by numerous people in the crowd who told him to keep quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you want to go on record saying I should stop talking?\u201d he asked Van der Merwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A neighbourhood watch member interrupted and said he would like to know what to do \u201cwhen prostitutes do it like animals in front of my house\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Van Rooyen said that\u2019s what he was trying to say \u2013 that the station commander wasn\u2019t telling the whole truth about the court order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The court order only says police cannot arrest someone for sex work if they don\u2019t intend on prosecuting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They can\u2019t drive around with them aimlessly or keep them in cells where they are treated like criminals if the police won\u2019t take the matter to court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And they can only be taken to court with proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone then proceeded to ask whether they should take a video of events, but he was interrupted by others yelling at Van Rooyen to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then asked again whether Van der Merwe would like to go on record that he had to leave the meeting and she agreed, saying \u201cwe all feel the same way about foreigners\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Monday, Van Rooyen said he felt the meeting was very disappointing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI really wanted a reasonable discussion with people aimed at getting solutions and they clearly just wanted opportunities to vent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was there and (they just wanted to vent). I don\u2019t think that takes us closer to any solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said it was important to engage with people who have opposing views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked whether he would attend the event again to share his knowledge he said he would, but only with certain conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won\u2019t engage a space where people use words like prostitute and prossies or where a station commander goes on to use words like fat and ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Last week\u2019s Bellville Community Police Forum (BCPF) meeting saw drama unforetold, with the announcement of the sudden resignation of the organisation\u2019s head and a speaker being told to leave the 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