By OBAKENG MAJE

Head of Department at North West Community Safety and Transport Management, Dr Hans Kekana said the National Policing Policy will have a positive impact in the lives of the ordinary citizens. Kekana had a consultative engagement with stakeholders during a two-day Provincial Consultation Session of the Draft National Policing Policy in Mahikeng.

“The stakeholders consultation is one of the key processes that need to unfold in policy making and development. This process allows participation for thorough understanding by all affected from the development stage to implementation of the policy.

“We call on stakeholders in attendance to make their meaningful participation during the process. The policy will nurture the way of policing in the country and rebuilds the relationship between the police and communities,” he said.

According to Kekana, they are excited with the turnout of stakeholders who attended the engagement to make sure that, the session will input positively into the policy to make sure that, it is going to benefit the people of the province and the country at large. He further said it is through the engagements with the communities that the policy development such as this, will ensure that they come out with the product that it is going to keep South Africa safe.

“We have a believe that, our men and women in blue are doing a good job and we want to give them support both as government and entire community. There are serious challenges of policing, generally in the country.

“However, we want to be exemplary as the province by changing the way the police are seen by the communities. We also want to rebuild the relationship between the police and the community and bring back the dignity of the police,” added Kekana.

He said the consultation started with engagement of key stakeholders, which includes government representatives. Kekana said they have also engaged the bigger audience of Community Policing Forums (CPFs), Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) and communities at large.

Meanwhile, the Director for Policy Development from the National Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, Maureen Mphaphuli shared the same sentiments. Mphaphuli said the North West is the eighth province to host the consultation of this Draft Policing Policy.

“We started this process in September 2023 by doing the consultations and the document has already being gazetted for public comments. Today, we expect all the stakeholders in the province to talk to us in terms of what they will want to see as the policing functioning in this country.

“Especially how it impacts them as the province. We want to understand what are the issues that need to be addressed and those we need to improve on in reaching our 2030 vision that, people should be and feel safe,” she said.

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