The statutory partnership between the South African Police Service and the communities of Gauteng — established by law, governed by principle, and accountable to every resident we serve.
A Community Police Forum (CPF) is the official, legally mandated bridge between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the people of Gauteng. It is not a private security company or a neighbourhood watch. It is a statutory body created by South African law to ensure that the police and the community work together as equal partners to fight crime.
The CPF exists to give every resident a voice in how their community is policed — not as observers, but as active participants with legal standing alongside SAPS station management.
The CPF does not exist by chance. Its right to exist and its power to oversee policing are protected by the highest laws in the land.
Section 206
Grants provinces the power to monitor police conduct and promote good relations between the police and the community. This is the constitutional foundation upon which all community policing structures rest.
Section 18 — Chapter 7
Dictates that every police station must have a CPF, giving residents the jurisdiction to sit with station management and resolve local safety issues. This is a legal requirement, not a courtesy.
Community Policing Regulations
Govern exactly how forums operate — from how meetings are conducted to how police service delivery is monitored. These regulations define the structure, elections, and operational procedures of every CPF in the country.
By law, every CPF member and board follows five core objectives to ensure community safety.
Building a professional team spirit between residents and officers — creating a relationship of mutual respect and shared responsibility for community safety.
Ensuring the community receives accurate safety alerts whilst the police receive accurate community intelligence — a two-way channel that strengthens both sides of the partnership.
The CPF acts as a watchdog, ensuring your local station is efficient, helpful, and professional — holding SAPS accountable to the standard communities deserve.
Holding the police accountable to the public they serve. Crime statistics, incident patterns, and resource allocation must be visible and explainable to the community.
Working directly with the Station Commander to identify crime hotspots and develop joint strategies to address them — combining local knowledge with police capacity.
In Gauteng, there is a clear and strict rule regarding local safety groups and their relationship to the formal community policing structure.
A Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) is a group of private residents. By law, it is not recognised by SAPS as a safety partner unless it is officially part of the CPF structure. There is no standing outside the CPF framework.
To be legitimate and receive support from the provincial government, a Neighbourhood Watch must be registered with the local Station CPF and officially accredited by the Gauteng Department of Community Safety.
An unregistered group has no standing in police safety meetings and cannot officially represent the community in a policing partnership. Registration is not optional — it is the law.
The CPF is a voluntary organisation open to those who live or work within the specific jurisdiction of a SAPS station. While the general principle is one of inclusion, specific eligibility criteria must be met to join and serve in leadership.
The forum represents the community rather than any political interest. No political affiliation may influence the work or decisions of a CPF.
The CPF is open to all community members regardless of race or gender. Diversity of representation strengthens the forum's mandate.
All members are subject to vetting to ensure the safety of community data and the integrity of the forum's operations.
All elected Executive members must undergo formal LCRC vetting by SAPS, including a background check and fingerprinting, to ensure leadership remains beyond reproach.
The highest community policing authority in Gauteng province.
The Gauteng Provincial Community Police Board (GPCPB) is the highest community policing structure within the province. It serves as a statutory decision-making body that coordinates the safety strategy and oversight for all of Gauteng.
As a juristic person, the Board is legally empowered to enter into partnerships, manage resources, and ensure that community safety needs are prioritised at the provincial level. The Board cascades decisions from the provincial level down to the 22 sub-district CPFs and their Sector Forums.
The Board is comprised of 22 board members, each representing one of the 22 sub-districts within Gauteng — ensuring every corner of the province has a seat at the table. These sub-districts are organised within the five main districts:
The Board functions as a high-level partnership between the community and the top tier of law enforcement. Its governance includes principle members and specialised stakeholders drawn from across Gauteng's law enforcement landscape.
The CPF badge is a protected symbol under the Heraldry Act 18 of 1962. Unauthorised use is a criminal offence.
All CPF leadership — from the local Sector Forum to the Provincial Board — is elected for a five-year term. This ensures the community has a regular opportunity to choose the leaders they trust to manage their safety.
The current GPCPB Executive was elected at the 7 May 2022 Elective AGM in Johannesburg, presided over by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), and serves through to 2027.
Visit your local police station and ask for the CPF Chairperson's contact details, or contact the Provincial Secretary directly.
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