What do Community Police Forums do? We interview brave souls keeping their people safe

702's Tshidi Madia, in for Clement Manyathela, is joined by local community policing forum members Themba Mlotshwa, Fatima Katake-Naidoo, and  Ross Welsh.

Listen below:

Community Police Forums are in the news after the killing of six CPF patrollers in Mary Me informal settlement in Soshanguve at the weekend.

Two men, aged 27 and 50, were arrested on Monday and appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrates Court on Wednesday, following the attack on the patrollers on Saturday morning.

Five patrollers were stoned and shot dead on the scene, while another succumbed to his wounds in the hospital.

The patrollers were part of a group of 12 doing their routine checks.

Katake-Naidoo is a member of the Roodepoort Community Police Forum. She says trying to assist with policing in the Johannesburg Central region is overwhelming.

"Dealing with the crime on a daily basis is out of this world, hence we try to put all the patrollers from CPF to monitor around the CBD."

- Fatima Katake-Naidoo, Roodepoort Community Police Forum

Welsh is a member of the Boskop Community Policing Forum in Tshwane.

The area covers rural areas and informal settlements.

The latter, says Welsh, has specific policing challenges.

"The are major challenges there and this is where SAPS needs to rely on the intelligence and information that comes from CPF members."

- Ross Welsh, Boskop Community Policing Forum

ALSO READ: Multidisciplinary operation leads to arrest of 2nd suspect in murders of Soshanguve community patrollers

Mlotshwa is from the Community Police Forum (CPF) of Tshwane.

He says what is key to the success of the CFPs is a partnership with the police.

"It must be both the CPF and the SAPS. It is a partnership.

- Themba Mlotshwa, Community Police Forum (CPF) Tshwane District

ALSO READ: Duo probed for Soshanguve patroller murders won’t be charged until identified by victims

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.