[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

VOTE 5

The Honourable Speaker, Rev O.J Tselapedi
Honourable Premier Dr Popo Simon Molefe
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Members of the House of Traditional leaders
Mayors and Executive Mayors
Heads of Departments
The Provincial Commissioner
Members of the Community Police Fora
Distinguished guests

We meet here once again to proclaim our commitment towards the fight against crime. While we take this challenge on our shoulders, we also take the challenge to protect our men and women who sacrifice their lives to fight crime. We have continued to loose these members as a result of criminal elements.

Honourable Speaker, we recently lost Inspector Kotu, who was gunned down in March by 5 unknown assailants while trying to protect our communities. Before I start with the business of the day, may I request the House to rise and observe a moment of silence in remembrance of all members of the SAPS who fell in the line of duty. . Inspector Kotu is adding to the 6 members of the service who also died in the line of duty as a result of attacks by criminals in 2002. May their soul rest in peace

Thank You

Honourable Speaker, as we present this budget speech in the beginning of another year of the African century, we look back to see whether we are making any progress in respect to the national fight against crime or not.

As we present our fourth budget speech during this second term of the North West government, we will again account to the citizenry of this province on how we have utilized the budget, which was voted for last year by this government. It is surely their right to know how we have used it and even to be informed of our plans in improving our monitoring role on SAPS and coordination of other departments in implementing the National Crime Prevention Strategy ( NCPS).

Let me remind the House that the Department of Safety has amongst others a Constitutional obligation to:
* Oversee the effectiveness and efficiency of the police service;
* Monitor police conduct; and
* Promote good relations between the police and the community.
* The Department has also been mandated to coordinate a number of inter-departmental programmes within the National Crime Prevention Strategy. You will agree with me, Honourable Speaker , that the department has in short been given the responsibility to ensure that a peaceful and stable environment, conducive to socio-economic development, exists throughout the province.
Honourable Speaker, on a daily basis, we are challenged to improve on the policing of this province and to ensure that our communities and investors are protected; we are forced to direct our police and other resources to areas, which are mostly infested by crime, and to ensure that they are visible. We are forced to guide the police to develop strategies directed to specific crimes and coordinate crime prevention programmes of other core departments. The challenges and crime prevention strategies change with time.

Allow me, Honourable Speaker, to highlight some of the major challenges facing the province and to emphasize that only a concerted, collaborated response by all the law abiding citizens of our country will bring about peace and stability for all.

In 1998 - 2000 it was clear that the biggest challenge we faced was armed robberies, especially heists; and this affected our economy in a negative way as no one was prepared to invest in an unsafe province and therefore we needed to create a safe and secure environment for our communities and investors.

The Premier Dr Popo Simon Molefe in his State of the Province Address of 2000/1 stated that:

" One of the characteristics of a thriving democracy is the creation of an environment for the secure family life. A crime free society implies stability and conditions conducive to trade and investments. Neither the private sector nor the citizens can enjoy their rights under conditions with crime and degradation."

Honourable Speaker, we are continuing to ensure that this province is one of the safest provinces for both our communities and investors.

We have during this period managed to ensure a reduction in the level of armed robberies through the strategies that SAPS developed. We will continue to fight those who commit these crimes especially against the vulnerable groups like the elderly, women, children, people with disabilities and tourists.

Let me take this opportunity to thank members of the South African Police Service who remained truly blue at all times for their tireless efforts in ensuring that there is safety and security in our province. It is not long ago when they successfully apprehended Right-wingers who were threatening peace in our province. It is not long ago when they foiled a number of planned heists and it is not long ago when they publicly announced that they were going to arrest all perpetrators involved in the Ottosdal farm attack and they succeeded! We therefore believe that SAPS is doing its part in the fight against crime.

Let me also thank the Community Police Forums who, after receiving a call to serve in the community police structures, did not hesitate to come forward and form this partnership with SAPS to fight crime.

Lastly let me thank all the departments and non-governmental organizations, which are also making a difference through their crime prevention programmes.

I would also like to call upon all other stakeholders outlined in the NCPS to play their part. Lets all pick up our swords and join the others in the fight against crime.

This, Honourable Speaker, is basically what we demonstrated last year when we reflected on the 2001/2002-budget speech, i.e. the relationship between crime and poor socio-economic conditions. We explained that the challenge on the fight against crime has convincingly ruptured beyond the retort of more police and harsh sentences.

The increase in social fabric crimes such as rape, violence against women and children, alcohol and drug abuse should stimulate action by all stakeholders as mentioned in the NCPS. The involvement of all municipalities in creating safer areas for all our communities is critical.

We will campaign that municipalities adopt our theme for this year, which is: "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and Maintenance." The theme is aimed at ensuring that municipalities and other relevant role players reduce opportunities for would-be perpetrators to commit crime. It simply means that they will have to ensure that all houses are numbered, there are street lighting, unoccupied houses are dealt with in terms of the policies of this country, and all open spaces which may be of security risk to our communities are serviced.

Let me illustrate this to you; if our roads are in good conditions and have streetlights, this will assist the police to patrol the streets with ease, and tremendously reduce opportunities for would-be offenders to commit crimes in the dark and inaccessible places.

We, however, also call upon every citizen of this country to stand up and assist South African Police Service and our municipalities in this campaign. By so doing you will be heeding not only the implementation of the National Crime Prevention Strategy but to President Thabo Mbeki's Call of Letsema. By this we will also be creating an opportunity for other government departments to push back the frontiers of poverty through infra-structural development.

A word of thanks and appreciation to thousands of our people who rolled up their sleeves during February (Safety and Security month) to lend a hand in the national effort to build a better life for all South Africans.

What is central to all, the above is our continued mandate to champion the hopes of millions of South Africans who cherish better lives, peace, stability and justice.

The increase in the managerial capacity of the department, will ensure the successful development and implementation of Work Place Skills Plan, the Employment Equity Plan and the Information Plan Reports will be furnished on the monitoring and evaluation of these plans on a regular basis. The Annual Report will reflect details of our progress in this regard.

Honourable Speaker, let me now turn to the achievements of this department and the budget for 2003/4.

Monitoring and Evaluating SAPS Law Enforcement Operations

As stated earlier, the responsibility of my department is to monitor and evaluate police performance. One way in which this mandate was carried out was through conducting station visits both announced and unannounced and auditing social crime prevention programmes carried out by the South African Police Service.

My department conducted 30 station visits through out the province and some of our general findings are as follows:
* Police reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol;
* Poor management of stations;
* Limited physical and human resources;
* Racism in some of the stations;
* Poor response to scenes of crime; and
* Rural safety issues that are not adequately addressed.

We have also held meetings with Community Police Forums of primary stations to listen to their concerns on safety and security issues around their areas; account on the findings; and explain how we will assist South African Police Service in remedying the situation. For example in the Marico area, located in the eastern part of the Province, there were a number of concerns around police performance and we engaged the Provincial Commissioner to remedy the situation. I can announce that a special plan to intensify intelligence driven policing, increase visibility of police on the streets through patrols, improvement of management of stations, putting up systems in these stations and conducting special operations.

Honourable Speaker, let me at this stage, also indicate that we have reinforced security services by formalizing our partnership with the Tshwane Metro Police in this area. You will recall that part of this area falls within the Tshwane Metropolitan Council.

Honourable Speaker, I must indicate that we are still faced with a challenge of efficiency and effectiveness in some of the stations. Let me indicate that during these visits, we established that stations like Lomanyaneng remain in a very bad state despite numerous interventions by the Province. To this end we have developed a programme called "Adopt a Station''. This simply means that we will take these stations and jointly design improvement plans with the South African Police Service and thereafter continuously monitor them. In cases where there are service delivery improvement plans, we will assist in jointly designing implementation mechanism. Lomanyaneng is the first station, which will be taken under this programme, and work is already being done to improve the state affairs.

We will, however, during our monitoring role identify similar stations and do likewise. A team from our office will ensure that these stations are visited more often and where possible assist in improving the state of these stations.

I must also indicate that a great deal has been done by the Provincial Commissioner in resolving some of the problems, but intervention from my office will enhance this efficiency. I therefore wish to take this opportunity to thank him for this effort.

Crime Prevention Structures

We have established structures like Provincial Crime Prevention Forum, the Anti-Illegal Farm-worker Eviction Forum to ensure that South African Police Service in the main takes its position with regard to the implementation of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA). We have jointly established a Provincial Task team with Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, to deal with stock theft that is negatively affecting our agricultural economy. We have established 11 Local Multi Agency Coordinating Structure (LMACS) in local municipalities. These structures mainly ensure participation of other government departments in the fight against crime.

Community inputs on Policing Priorities

Honourable Speaker, we have always said that communities must make input in the determination of policing priorities for their areas, as they know exactly what bothers them on a daily basis. Let me announce that for the first time my department coordinated consultative meetings of this nature where CPFs, churches and municipalities gathered to make these inputs. Information gathered was taken into consideration during compilation of the Provincial Operational Directive of South African Police Service. We are continuing with this process in this coming financial year, obviously with the lessons acquired from the first 3 consultative meetings held in the 3 policing areas.

Institutional Transformation

Honourable Speaker, one of the challenges that are facing my department is to accelerate the pace of government transformation agenda. This transformation process binds the South African Police Service and my department will ensure that this pace is increased.

There is however improvement in the distribution of some movable resources like vehicles, although we are aware that it is not sufficient. We will continuously ensure that the South African Police Service attend to these areas. Let me also acknowledge that there is very little progress in infrastructural development. We will be engaging the National Department of Public Works to find ways of fast tracking construction and refurbishment of stations, which are in a bad state. Let me again assure this House that the construction of these stations will partly address one of the government initiatives to bringing services nearer to the people.

Our service members still continue to receive preferential treatment from their seniors, and this is contributing towards low morale. I will be engaging

Minister Charles Nqakula on this matter, as the problem is mainly gaps in the current policies especially with regard to promotions.

Your House is assured that our institutional transformation component will monitor and evaluate compliance to policies that are intended to replace old practices and procedures followed in the past in order to improve service delivery and democratic accountability and people driven services.

Monitoring and Evaluating SAPS Social Crime Prevention Programmes

Honourable Speaker, the Department also has the responsibility to ensure implementation of social crime prevention projects by the South African Police Service. Due to limited personnel, we were only able to partially monitor the following projects:

* Adopt a Cop
* Victim-friendly facilities.

Our general findings on victim-friendly facilities so far, are that some of the Victim-friendly facilities are not optimally utilized due to shortage of staff, poor marketing strategies, and ad hoc involvement of other relevant departments; while others are really making a difference with the few resources they have. A more comprehensive report will be compiled as soon as all the projects have been assessed.

With regard to Adopt-a-cop project, Jouberton seems to be well ahead of other areas. The key to success seems to be a high level of commitment, and strong networking capabilities. My Department will continue to assess these projects and make recommendations to the Provincial Commissioner as well as relevant project coordinators in an attempt to improve service delivery.

Community police relations

Honourable Speaker, the Department annually transfers funds to the North West Provincial Community Police Board (NWPCPB), to sustain community police forums and promote community police relations. During the previous year, the Department agreed with the Board that the funds would be utilized on Project Nexus i.e. a campaign for regeneration of morals and public values.

The following themes were adopted throughout the campaign:
* Violence against women and children;
* Destroying the market for stolen goods;
* Gun-free communities; and
* Campaign against alcohol and drug abuse.

Activities of CPFs, police and other relevant departments included awareness campaigns targeting different community groups; and initiating victim-friendly facilities. Thirty-nine (39) CPFs focused on no violence against women and children; thirty-four (34) focused on destroying the market for stolen goods; eighteen (18) campaigned against alcohol and drug abuse; and three (3) CPFs promoted gun-free communities. Best practice models among CPFs received awards during a Gala Evening held on 22nd November 2002 at the Mmabatho Convention Centre. The awards went to the following CPFs:
* Stilfontein and Tlhabane CPFs for the category " No violence against women and children,"
* Klerksdorp CPF for destroying the market for stolen goods,
* Jouberton CPF for alcohol and drug abuse, and
* Itsoseng for gun-free communities.

The overall impact of the campaign is that awareness around these social fabric crimes was raised; and more cases of domestic violence and stolen goods were reported. Crimes relating to these Themes were reduced as per station statistics. There was also a great number of Community participation and members of the community were conscientised.

Once again, I wish to express my appreciation to patriotic members of our community, who tirelessly volunteer their time, talents and resources, to create safe communities for us all.

Ladies and gentlemen, we did not end here, but continued to coordinate the different departments during the "16 days of no violence against women and children" from 25 November 2002 to 10 December 2002. The Honourable Premier, Dr Popo Molefe, launched this campaign at the official opening of the Ganyesa Crisis Centre. While our efforts produced good results, we however plan to intensify these efforts, until there's a sense of security among our children, women and other vulnerable groups.

Honourable Speaker, while interacting with various members of the community, my department made a startling discovery that misinterpretation of Human Rights, in particular Women and Children's Rights, contribute to a good percentage of domestic violence. Some parents, and even educators, feel that they have been stripped of their authority to discipline children. Some men feel that they are no longer respected as heads of their households. During this year, this matter will receive serious attention to ensure that our citizens flourish and prosper, as a result of respect for human rights, instead of suffering because of misinterpretation of the rights. We will do this in collaboration with the Office on the Status of Women and all relevant stakeholders.

Partnerships with local government

Ladies and Gentlemen, surely our memories are still fresh to the violence that gripped our mines in the Rustenburg area for some years.

The Secretariat, on behalf of the North West Government, is still playing a leading role in facilitating the development of a business plan intended to address the development issues in the area, in collaboration with the Rustenburg Municipality and other relevant stakeholders.

Honourable Speaker, in pursuance of implementation of the National Crime Prevention Strategy and inter-governmental collaboration, we are in the process of finalizing establishment of Multi Agency Coordination Structures at local municipal level throughout the province. The structures provide for each participating Department to formulate its own crime prevention programmes, but implement them in collaboration with other stakeholders, in order to optimise benefits for our citizens. The sad part about this noble initiative is that, due to limited capacity within municipalities and departments to deal with social fabric crimes, some of these structures are inactive. It is our resolve during this Fiscal Year, to implement a capacity building programme, which will turn these structures into efficient and effective mechanisms for positive social change.

Budget allocation 2003/4

For this financial year, Honourable Speaker, our budget is aimed at continuing with our responsibilities to promote, coordinate, monitor and evaluate provincial policing functions. After careful analysis of the mandate and resources required of my department to execute same, the Executive Council resolved that more capacity be created to ensure that the Department can make more impact in making appropriate interventions in the Service. We therefore welcome this decision, which make accords with the call by the ruling party at its 51st National Conference that all Secretariats must be strengthened to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. A total budget of R18 533 million is being proposed. This is an increase of 90% from the previous budget allocation to improve performance.

For this financial year, 16 posts will be filled to strengthen the coordination, promotion, monitoring and evaluation functions of the department. We will also be in a position to strengthen the management of the department by appointing a Deputy Director General. Twelve million-two-hundred-and-eighty-two thousand rands (R12 282 000) have been allocated for personnel expenditure. I can assure this house that we are going to be more visible and make a difference with the budget that we have requested.

Honourable Speaker, in his State of the Nation's Address, President Thabo Mbeki called for strengthening community police forums. I am pleased to report that an amount of four-hundred-thousand rands (R400 000) will be transferred to the North West Provincial Community Police Board to ensure continued functionality. We will continue to provide the necessary professional support to the Board, as we are aware that the grant is not sufficient to meet all the needs of the CPFs.

The rest of the budget i.e. five million - eight-hundred-and-fifty-one-thousand-rands (R5 551 000) will be used on a number of projects including the following:

Facilitating Relocation of SAPS Head Quarters

Honourable Speaker, you will remember that a study was done on this matter. We have weighed the implications, that is social, economic and political factors and we are satisfied that it is in the interest of all concerned to proceed with relocation. We will ensure that stakeholders are reasonably consulted and informed of decisions taken, while on the other hand we will ensure that the process is not compromised by protracted consultation processes.

Monitoring and evaluating SAPS law enforcement operations

During this financial year, we will continue with our constitutional mandate of monitoring SAPS. The additional resources allocated to us will ensure that we are robust in the actual monitoring of the operation plan of SAPS, that we are visible and lastly that we cover all stations in the Province. The monitoring system will be improved even further to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring.

Promoting and enhancing SAPS institutional transformation

Honourable Speaker, as I indicated earlier, our focus this financial year will be the implementation of policies on transformation by SAPS. We will continue to monitor infrastructure development and resource distribution and where possible assist SAPS in finding solutions in fast tracking this process.

Strengthening partnerships between SAPS and the rest of the Criminal Justice System to ensure effective case management

Honourable Speaker, the success of our criminal justice depends mainly on cooperation between SAPS and our courts. Our plan is to work jointly with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in establishing the local criminal justice clusters and strengthening those that exist. It is through this process that we will realize part of the implementation of the NCPS and fast tracking the finalization of cases.

Provincial Police Summit

Honourable Speaker, when I started with the address to this august House, I indicated the challenge that is facing us in curbing police killings in our country. We will hold a Provincial Summit on the directive of Minister of Safety and Security, Minister Charles Nqakula, as a culmination to the National Police Killings Summit to be held later this year to look into challenges and means of reducing these killings. Our proposed budget has therefore catered for this Provincial Summit to be held late in April.

Training and supporting Community Police Boards and Forums

Honourable Speaker, during the previous financial year, we provided training to CPFS, specifically on financial management. During this financial year, we will provide more comprehensive training focusing on how to prevent the occurrence of social fabric crimes. We will together with CPFs and the police, intensify campaigns aimed at further reducing:
* violence against women and children; and
* the market for stolen goods, especially stock theft.

It is common knowledge that these crimes are to a great extent committed by people who are under the influence of drugs and or alcohol; who use dangerous weapons including guns.

The campaign aimed at destroying market for stolen goods will also focus on stock theft which continues to impoverish our communities. Criminals involved in this activity are most often than not driven by greed rather than poverty as most people usually claim.

Our approach therefore in dealing with these two themes will be a comprehensive one taking all contributory factors into consideration.

Coordinating the "16 Days of Activism for no violence against women and children campaign".

Honourable Speaker, allow me to update this House on the campaign held last year on the above matter. In respect to the Signature Pledge Campaign, we received an overwhelming response from our communities in the signing of the pledge. Five hundred and eighty thousand two hundred and ninety five (580 295) signatures were recorded. An amount of Seven Hundred and Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Nineteen Rand, Fifty-five Cents (R705 919 - 55) was raised. The money raised will be channeled to the Foundation for Human Rights to assist victims and survivors of violence. Let me thank all the individual members of communities and organizations for their valuable participation in this campaign.

We intend intensifying this campaign by starting it earlier than 25 November to heed the 51st National Conference Resolution of the ruling party and a Provincial Plan of Action in realizing the resolution on intensifying campaigns on violence against women and children. This will be done through a number of activities that will build towards 25 November. The commitment of communities, None government organizations and all government departments is critical towards the actual achievement of reducing violence against women and children.

Training and supporting Multi-Agency Coordinating Structures

We will coordinate Training and support Members of Municipal Councils responsible for Public Safety and members of Local Multi-Agency Coordinating Structures to enable them to deal with social fabric crimes.

We will also use the budget for the following:
* Coordinating, monitoring and evaluating implementation of the Provincial Social Crime Prevention Strategy.
* Overseeing phase two of the Rustenburg Urban Renewal Project
* Monitoring and evaluating SAPS Social Crime Prevention Programmes
* Implementing the Departmental Employee Assistance Programme, HIV/AIDS Programme and the Skills Development Programme.

With this budget, Honourable Speaker, we declare unending commitment towards ensuring that SAPS provide a better service towards our communities and that provincial departments and municipalities do their part, as far as implementation of the National Crime Prevention Strategy is concerned.

Tla ke tseye tshono e, ke leboge botlhe ba ba ileng ba re ema nokeng ka nako tsotlhe. The Standing Committee has been an anchor of support for this department and we have year in, year out learnt from the wisdom they provided to the department.

My colleagues who are always willing to join hands with us to fight crime, thank you for your continued support. We shall stand firmly in clearing the fields for you to push back the frontiers of poverty.

To the officials in the Department of Safety and Liaison, this is a job well done, and thank you for your commitment and dedication to your work.

To the Provincial Commissioner, management of SAPS and all other members thank you and remain truly blue.

My gratitude goes to my family who so understood when I was called upon exercise my political authority on e safety and security, and is always willing to release me to heed the call. To my friends, thank you for the support.
Summary of expenditure according to Programmes

PROGRAMME 2003/2004
1. Ministerial Services: 1327
2. Office of the DDG: 3580
3. Chief Directorate Programmes: 1644
4. Liaison and Community Safety: 3972
5. Monitoring and Evaluation: 4346
6. Corporate Services: 3664
TOTAL: 18533

Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)