1. The name of the watch shall be the Green Point Neighbourhood Watch, hereinafter referred to as the GPNW.
2. The GPNW will be a voluntary organisation subscribing to and upholding our SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS
3. AREA OF JURISTRICTION
3.1. The GPNW shall include all properties, (single residential, sectional title or other cluster developments, business or any other) bounded by the following demarcation as noted in 3.2.
3.2. The GPNW will, cover the same area defined as Sector 1 by SAPS Sea Point and by the Green Point Rate Payers Association [GPRRA]. The boundaries shall be from Glengariff Road to Beach Road, across to Portswood Road and up to Boundary Road to the top of Merriman Road (the fire break) and back to Glengariff Road.
4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
4.1. To comply at all times to the provisions contained in the Western Cape Provincial Constitution and Code of Conduct for Neighbourhood Watches Structures [WCNWS] and in the event of there being any conflict between the WCNWS and this Constitution the provisions of the WCNWS shall prevail.
4.2. To raise community awareness of the extent of criminal activity within the GPNW area.
4.3. To provide a service of information to the local Police Station by encouraging residents to report suspicious behaviour and unusual occurrences
4.4. To foster a close working relationship between the South African Police Services [SAPS]
4.5. To focus on matters of safety and security and to strive to make GPNW area as crime free as possible
4.6. To seek and obtain funding and resources through the Community Police Forum from any Governmental or departmental source (including SAPS reinforcements)
4.7. Financially self- supporting and independent
4.8. To liaise and cooperate with other similar organisations with similar aims and objectives
4.9. To carry out all such task that may be relevant to a neighbourhood crime watch organisation so as to minimise the possibility of criminal activity. This may include member-resident patrols to OBSERVE AND LISTEN ONLY AND REPORT SUSPICIOUS AND UNTOWARDS CIRCUMSTANCES that may relate to crime or potential criminal activity to the police and or contracted security companies.
5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1. Membership shall be open to any person living, working or owning property in the prescribed area
5.2. Membership shall be voluntary and vetted by SAPS
5.3. The GPNW shall not reject an applicant without sufficient reason
5.4. An up to date register shall be kept of all members of the GPNW and shall be updated annually, this will contain all relevant info, NAMES, ID NO’S, ADDRESSES, TELEPHONE NO’S AND INDEMNITY FORMS signed by the members
5.5. GPNW shall determine a membership fee which will remain voluntary and will not depend on it as a source of income.
5.6. Personal information of a member may only be used as required for the operation of the GPNW and shall not be used for any other purpose, nor shall it be divulged to any third party without the specific consent of that member.
5.7. Each member is entitled to one vote
5.8. Each member shall be entitled to appoint a proxy in writing to represent him or her at any meeting of the GPNW member meetings
6. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
6.1. A member may resign by writing or by email to the GPNW’S email address
6.2. The committee may in their absolute discretion terminate membership of any member in writing with given intentions to do so; such notice shall contain full reasons for the committee actions
7. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE [GPNW EXCO]
7.1. The management committee shall comprise of:
7.2. The Chairperson, duly elected by the committee and responsible for co-ordinating and managing activities of the committee
7.3. The Deputy Chair person, the secretary, The Treasurer, The co-ordinator and 1 appointed Sector leader from each of the zones and a representative from each Portfolio Sub Committee
7.4. This Committee shall hold office until the conclusion of the first AGM but shall be eligible for re-election
7.5. Each member of the committee shall be entitled to one vote at meetings of the committee
7.6. Each member may vote by proxy duly authorized in writing but not more than 3 times in a year including the inaugural meeting
8. DUTIES OF THE GREEN POINT NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH EXCO
8.1. The duties and responsibilities of the EXCO shall be consistent with that of normally accepted committee practice.
8.2. The chairperson shall act as chair at all meetings; in the event the chairperson is unavailable the deputy chair will sit in with a non-office bearer as deputy.
8.3. The secretary will give notice to all (Exco) members in writing of the outcome of the meeting, the date of the next meeting with the agenda attached.
8.4. The Treasurer shall record all financial transactions and keep proper books of account. The treasurer shall furnish details of which may be needed at all meetings if requested.
8.5. The Co-Ordinator shall effectively put into place and co-ordinate all tasks that are relevant to the operation of the GPNW
8.6. The Sector Zone Leaders will be responsible for the accurate recording and monitoring of Patrols and the GPNW members affiliated to the patrols.
9. MEETINGS
9.1. There shall be an annual general meeting of GPNW, which shall take place once a year, to be determined by the Exco and communicated to all members at least 14 days in advance
9.2. Special general meetings may be called by simple majority vote
9.3. Committee meetings may be called on an ad-hoc basis i.e. Patrol/Marketing meetings.
9.4. GPNW members who are not committee members may attend as observers without a vote.
9.5. All minutes of the meeting shall be made available to the secretary in her/his absence and will be communicated to members of the committee
10. INDEMNITY
10.1. The GPNW is not a legal person and functions within the guidelines of the WCPC and Code of Conduct
10.2. All members of GPNW will indemnify the committee of any wrong doing that has occurred in their own capacity
10.3. The GPNW members and Committee Members are always individually responsible for their own actions and the consequences thereof while carrying out their voluntary duties in the service of GPNW
10.4. All duties, functions, activities, services undertaken by members in any form, are voluntary and at their own risk and neither the GPNW or any of its members, committee members or associated members accepts any liability neither jointly or severally, for any damage to property or injury to person, howsoever caused and of whatsoever nature.
11. LIABILITY
11.1. The GPNW and any neighbourhood watch affiliated to the GPNW act in their own capacity, as individuals and absolve the Community police forum and the South African Police serves of any liability, whether personal or of financial nature
11.2. All and any Criminal and civil actions that are instituted against a member of the GPNW will be against the member concerned and not the GPNW, nor the SEA POINT Community Policing Forum[CPF] and The South African Police Services[SAPS].
11.3. Limited liability, All EXCO members have a limited liability of R500.00. Any liability above this will require the approval and majority vote of the EXCO members.
12. ACCOUNTABILITY
12.1. The GPNW will be accountable to the Sea Point Community Police Forum
12.2. Where it is found to be that the CPF and LOCAL POLICE be dysfunctional the GPNW will be accountable to the Provincial Community Police Board
12.3. All GPNW members will be accountable to the GPNW EXCO Committee for all their actions, where it is found that the member has brought the Good Name of the GPNW into disrepute or in the event of any misconduct, disciplinary action will take place in the form of REPRIMAND, SUSPENSION or EXPULSION SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION.
12.4. In the event of a complaint being lodged against a member of the GPNW, the matter will be dealt with at the earliest convenience and advice the complainant of its actions.
13. CODE OF CONDUCT
13.1. No Committee member of the GPNW or its members may exploit their membership to their own personal advantage
13.2. No member shall accept any payment, commission or gratuity in connection with their membership, except after being authorized to do so by the EXCO of the GPNW
13.3. No member shall use their membership to promote the aims and objectives of any political Organisation.
13.4. No member shall display racism, gender or religious discrimination or bias nor use any form of violence to any person.
14. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
14.1. Any alterations to this Constitution shall require not less than two- thirds of members of GPNW being present and voting at an annual General Meeting of Special General Meeting
14.2. Notice of any such alterations shall be received, by the committee in writing not less than 21 days before the meeting, At least 14days notice shall be given by the secretary to the members of the GPNW
14.3. No alteration shall be made to Clause 3.1 or this Clause until the approval in writing of the Community Police Forum or other authority having jurisdiction shall have been obtained and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing GPNW to cease to apply the principles of the Western Cape Provincial Constitution and Code Of Conduct For Neighbourhood Watch Structures.
15. DYSFUNCTIONAL NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
15.1. Where it is found that the GPNW is in a state of dysfunction by the CPF, the Community police forum will have the power to hold all assets in trust, until such time that the GPNW restructures and regroups.
16. DISSOLUTION OF THE GPNW
16.1. If the Committee by simple majority decides at any time that on the grounds of expenses or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the GPNW it shall call a meeting of all members of the GPNW who have powers to vote, of which 14days notice will be given.
16.2. If such decision shall be confirmed by two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such a meeting, the Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by the GPNW. Any assets remaining after all debts and liabilities have been satisfied, the GPNW Committee shall have the power to dispose of any remaining assets to an organisation with similar objectives as that of GPNW in a charitable manner.
Green Point Watch 