After Elsies River Infiltration Scandal
Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for an urgent review of Community Policing Forum (CPF) election processes following revelations that 50% of the Elsies River CPF members have been declared ineligible to serve by the Western Cape Provincial Police.
The controversy centers around Ms. Claudine Coleridge, a CPF member whose alleged associations with known gang figures have sparked outrage. Photos circulating online show her posing with individuals linked to the criminal underworld, including the son of notorious gang leader Jerome “Donkie” Booysen.
The DA has condemned the situation, emphasizing that CPFs are meant to foster trust between communities and the police, not serve as platforms for criminal infiltration.
Call for Stronger Vetting Measures
Nicholas Gotsell, DA Member of the Select Committee for Security and Justice, said the current vetting process is failing. “It is unacceptable that individuals are voted into CPFs, only to be disqualified months later. The entire system needs urgent reform to ensure only individuals of unquestionable integrity serve in these critical positions,” he said.
The party has written to Western Cape Police Commissioner Lt. Genl Thembisile Patekile and Community Police and Oversight Minister Anroux Marais, calling for stricter vetting processes before CPF elections take place.
Gang Influence in Law Enforcement
The Western Cape High Court has previously warned about gang influence reaching the highest offices of the South African Police Service (SAPS), including the Provincial Commissioner’s office.
Despite concerns raised by NGOs and MPs, the DA alleges that figures like Coleridge enjoy special access to SAPS leadership, bypassing standard protocols. “While law-abiding organizations struggle to get meetings with SAPS leadership, Coleridge appears to move freely, thanks to her ties with former ANC cadres now seeking influence through new political projects,” Gotsell added.
Restoring Public Trust
With gang violence and crime a major concern in the Western Cape, the DA insists that CPF forums must be above reproach. The party is demanding immediate action to prevent criminal elements from undermining these crucial community structures.
“The integrity of our policing forums must be protected at all costs. When CPFs are compromised, public trust in law enforcement erodes, and communities suffer,” the DA’s statement concluded.
The matter has sparked widespread debate, with residents and security experts weighing in on the risks of allowing unvetted individuals into key crime-fighting bodies.
