By Ragheema Mclean

Police are currently investigating the murder of the Deputy Chairperson of the Gugulethu Community Policing Forum (CPF), Lulama Dinginto who was ambushed in her home on Sunday 10 December.

Authorities have announced a reward of R50,000 for information leading to the suspect. Investigations are ongoing as law enforcement seeks to establish the motive behind the attack.

Not only has Dinginto’s death rung through the community but has also raises concerns about the challenges faced by CPF members who serve as intermediaries between the South African Police Services and local communities.

Speaking on the VOC Breakfast show on Monday, Hanover Park CPF representative Yaseen Johaar, fondly remembered Dinginto as a dedicated servant of her community.

He emphasized that her loss is deeply felt, emphasizing her kind and passionate nature. “Miss Lulama was a very sincere and passionate person, soft-spoken, and fluent in Afrikaans,” Johaar recalled.

“Just days before she was murdered, we sat down with her and the rest of the Gugulethu CPF discussing ways forward.”

Meanwhile, Johaar further highlighted the challenges faced by CPF members, describing their role as often thankless.

“It’s no joke doing this line of work, we understand the risks involved, but our driving force is the profound passion we hold for our work,” he explained.

Johaar said that there is a lot of misconception that CPF members are working for the police.

He clarified, “We represent the community’s voice. We do not serve the police but rather the community. While we collaborate with law enforcement, our main priority is to see to our community and rid it from crime.”

Furthermore, he stated that fighting crime is not a duty anyone could fulfil and stressed the necessity of passion and love for the community.

“At the end of the day, one needs to understand the dynamics of fighting crime. There needs to be a passion and a sense of love for all.”

VOC News

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