Community activist Lucinda Evans has officially resigned as the Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) Cluster chairperson.
Evans took up the position in April 2017 and has been an active member in the CPF for over a decade.
She is also the founder of the NGO, Philisa Abafazi Bethu (Heal Our Women) in Lavender Hill.
“I resigned from the CPF on Wednesday. The Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) brought me to the CPF 10 years ago, I wanted to be part of making changes from the inside out and it’s also the VEP’s call that compelled me to resign,” Evans explains.
The VEP is mandated to offer counselling, safe houses and doctor referrals to victims and Evans says she wants to focus on improving these services.
“There’s a huge gap [in services]. There are no trauma offices for victim support. I resigned to unchain myself and do it in my own gap, boundaries and time.”
She says the motivation behind her taking this leap is the recent escalation of violence against women and children.
“The motivation from this came from the slaughter of women and children, to take me back to the VEP. This is what I can do for the police outside the CPF hat.”
Strandfontein CPF chairperson, Sandy Schuter, says Evans is “going to be missed”.
PROCESS: Sandy Schuter
Meanwhile it is not clear who will be replacing her, or when.
“The elections have been placed on hold until a process of consultation is held with all 16 CPF clusters and a directive for candidates is drafted,” said Schuter.
On 28 September a “special board meeting” will be held to discuss the directives.