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9 June 2006

Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker,
Premier,
Members of the Executive Council,
Members of the House,
Members of the Mayoral Committees responsible for Safety,
Provincial Commissioner, Deputy Provincial Commissioners, Area Commissioners,
Chiefs of Metro Police,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and gentlemen:

Introduction

Just over 10 years into our new democracy, our national mood oscillates between hope and despair. Our achievement of a peaceful transition to a democratic society when judged against a background of a history of conquest, dispossession and oppression is truly extraordinary. Our sense of accomplishment and the lived experience of freedom so long striven for are every day diminished by the crushing reality of poverty and high levels of violent crime.

We must face up to the reality that there are violent criminals in our society who kill without mercy, maim without human feeling and rape without conscience. Their actions wreck human lives, traumatise our psyches, overwhelm families with irreparable tragedy, imprison whole communities and frays the fabric of our national existence. We can certainly not say that we are as yet able to fully enjoy the freedom that our struggle was all about.

So as I present my budget speech today, let us remember the Mbheles, the Goldins, the Rasuges, the Bhamjees, the Ganchis’ and the Motlalas. Yes, I want to say today in their name and in the names of those who struggled for our freedom, the Hector Petersons, the Sisulus, the Bikos, the Ngoyis, the Khuzwayos the fight against violent crime is the fight for the full realisation of our freedom.

Those who say that the emphasis on human rights and the fight for higher levels of safety are contradictory are wrong. Surely we should all be agreed that freedom and security are indissolubly linked. Those who say that poverty justifies crime are surely wrong but so are those who ignore the relationship between high levels of crime and the high levels of unemployment, inequality and social despair which continues to be the lived reality of the many multitudes of our fellow citizens for whom the Constitution is but a dry parchment.

But despair and the national pastime of allocating blame will not bring about the better levels of safety that we all hope for and deserve. Let us recognise our common interests in the fight against violent crime. Let us recognise that a committed government needs the support of an engaged community. Let us agree that the current policy framework which is aimed simultaneously at promoting development and strengthening policing is the correct one. Let us recognise that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has made enormous progress in becoming a more accountable and responsive institution over the past decade and that the men and women in blue need our support and trust. Our critical reflections where appropriate, should always be aimed at correcting misconduct and improving the performance of the police but never gratuitously undermines their morale and self-confidence.

This government under the leadership of our President and our national Minister, the Premier of Gauteng comrade Shilowa, in whose provincial government I have the honour to serve is fully committed to growing our economy, eradicating poverty, developing our society and fighting crime in short to accomplish the full measure of freedom so long striven for and to a degree undreamt of a little over a decade ago already achieved.
Because we are serious in our mission to create a safe and secure province, we have adopted a comprehensive strategic approach which I will now outline.

It therefore gives me great pleasure to present to this House a budget of R220 172 000 for the Department of Community Safety for the financial year 2006/07. This budget will serve to accelerate the delivery of safety to the citizens of this province.

Flagship projects
The provincial safety strategy – strengthening the social compact in the fight against crime

This strategy will provide the province with a comprehensive and overarching strategic framework for reducing crime in Gauteng over the next decade. It recognises that in order to reduce crime and improve security, it is necessary that we align and mobilise all resources available in our province to achieve common objectives. The safety strategy will then provide a framework for strengthening the social compact of the state, society and the private sector in the fight against crime. It should therefore be clear that this strategy is not only for the Department rather it is a strategic framework for concerted action by all who have a common interest in reducing crime.

The key pillars of the Gauteng safety strategy are:
1. improving the quality of policing
2. promoting social crime prevention across Gauteng
3. improving co-ordination of the criminal justice system
4. strengthening intergovernmental relations
5. enhancing the role of local government in crime prevention
6. establishing integrated information management systems (IIMS)
7. promoting a social movement against crime.

Pillar one: improving the quality of policing

In recent months the effectiveness of policing has come under increasing public scrutiny. Not all the criticism has been fair. But clearly strengthening the efficiency and effectives of policing is one of our main challenges and it is at the core of my Department’s constitutional mandate. Members will recall that in his opening address to the legislature in 2004, the Premier made specific reference to the importance of strengthening “the quality of policing.” The Department’s primary instrument for working towards improved policing is the creation of an effective system of oversight which identifies the central organisational challenges of the police service and on the basis of credible information, works with the police on behalf of communities to achieve better levels of organisational performance, accountability and service delivery.

The second element of our strategy to strengthen the quality of policing for the province is to improve inter-agency co-operation between the SAPS and the three Metropolitan Police Departments (MPDs) in particular. Traffic and by-law enforcement should be aligned with crime combating operations by the SAPS. When a vehicle is stopped for speeding or reckless driving, traffic officers should also checked to see if the vehicle has been stolen or has been used in the commission of a crime whether there are illegal firearms, drugs or other contraband in the vehicle and whether the driver is wanted for any criminal activity.

Pillar two: promoting social crime prevention across Gauteng

The National Crime Prevention Strategy (1996) and the White Paper for Safety and Security (1998) both recognised that the root factors contributing to crime are found in a complex dynamic between a range of socio-economic and environmental factors. The second pillar of the strategy therefore is to strengthen the capacity of the provincial government to identify and practically intervene to rebuild the social fabric.

This “development approach” which is an integral part of our vision of Gauteng as an internationally competitive global city-region, requires patience because results will not necessarily be evident in the short term but is a critical for success over the long-term. The focus areas are the following:
1. early childhood development
2. school safety programmes
3. reducing violence against women
4. raising awareness and mobilising communities
5. increasing the safety of public places
6. youth development
7. reductions in availability of dangerous weapons
8. reduction in alcohol abuse
9. crime prevention through environmental design
10. enhancing victim empowerment.

Integrated government

The dual policy approach of improving the quality of policing and enhancing social crime prevention capacity are internationally recognised as strategically sound. Indeed this has been the policy approach of this government for the past decade. However, as recently released research findings from the Public Service Commission (PSC) emphasise the critical challenge confronting government is the implementation of policy.

Our provincial safety strategy recognises this challenge and seeks to address it by focusing on developing and strengthening institutional arrangements that will ensure our policies to reduce crime are successfully implemented. The vision of Gauteng as a global city-region demands that the spheres of government and different government departments are able to work in a seamless and holistic manner.

Pillar three: improving the co-ordination of the criminal justice system

A key component of our focus on integrated government is improving the co-ordination of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system consists of the following three separate departments namely, the police service, the Department of Justice and the Department of Correctional Services. The latter two do not have provincial Ministries. To ensure that the criminal justice system maximises its impact on crime it is necessary, however, that there is closer co-operation across all departments and spheres of government.

The police need to arrest and bring criminal perpetrators before the courts with sufficient evidence to ensure that the courts can convict them. Where the evidence provided to prosecutors is insufficient as a result of shortcomings in police investigations or there are shortcomings on the part of prosecutors, these departments need to ensure that there is a formal way to communicate this to each other. Similarly, correctional services need to be able to address areas of common concern with the Department of Justice and the police. The provincial safety strategy proposes a governance structure that will ensure closer alignment of the work of these important agencies that dispense justice in our province.

Pillar four: strengthening intergovernmental relations

Members will recall that the President made the observation that the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is not a plan of local government, but rather a concentrated expression of government in action at a locality. When it comes to the issue of community safety, the President’s observations are particularly pertinent. We cannot get better safety unless we get better co-ordination and integration around social development. This will require closer alignment of the planning processes of the different spheres of government.

For instance, when local governments plan infrastructure developments such as housing and roads this will lead to an increase of population in particular areas. Provincial government has to be aware of these planned developments to ensure that it can provide adequate schooling and health facilities while the SAPS would need to factor into its planning the provision of police stations.

In March I held a workshop with the Gauteng local government’s members of mayoral committees (MMCs) tasked with public safety. The purpose of the workshop was to promote better co-ordination and alignment between provincial and local governments around the issue of community safety. This initiative was well received and it is envisaged that we will establish a formal intergovernmental safety forum to support each other’s efforts. We are currently considering whether or not to invoke the provisions of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act in establishing this forum.

Pillar five: the role of local government

It has long been recognised both internationally and in South Africa that local governments have a critical role to play in the reduction of crime. Local governments are best placed to understand the particular safety needs of various communities. It is for this reason that they already have core responsibilities for emergency services and disaster management. We need to expand the definition of community safety at local level to include the prevention of crime.

Local governments can do much to reduce crime in their communities as many of the environmental factors that allow for crime to take place can be addressed by this sphere of government. Examples include cutting long grass and providing street lighting in high-risk areas to make it more difficult for criminals to attack vehicles and pedestrians. Local governments can also provide well-maintained parks and recreation areas so that young people have places to go where they will not be targeted by drug dealers. The planning department can ensure that new buildings and housing estates are designed in line with well-established crime prevention principles to reduce burglaries and robberies. Local councillors should also participate in community policing forums (CPFs) and be well informed about the crime and security concerns of different communities. Already most local councils have developed or are in the process of developing city or municipal safety strategies.

We would like to see each of the local authorities having city or municipal safety plans in place. Where these plans do not currently exist, we will work with the local authority to develop one. Where these plans do exist we will ensure that there is alignment with the provincial safety strategy.

Pillar six: promoting a social movement against crime

One of the core pillars is the initiation of a social movement which brings all sectors of society, urban and rural communities, communities of all backgrounds and political affiliations together in a common fight against crime.

There is a strong willingness from many communities to become involved in practical activities that could lead to a sustained reduction in crime. We also have the opportunity that the Soccer World Cup will afford us in 2010, to focus all the people of Gauteng on the common goal of ensuring that we have improved safety in this province.

We will also be approaching various celebrities including sports stars, actors and musicians to become activists in the fight against crime. We will be engaging with trade unions, the business sector, women’s organisations, youth group’s religious organisations and civil society more broadly to the social movement against crime.

While one response to crime is to try and make a physical location more secure a tactic commonly referred to as ‘target hardening’ we need people to make the link that crime can also be reduced through initiatives that build social capital. This means that we all take on the responsibility for creating a caring and compassionate society.

We can do this by giving of our time to report crime when we see it not to buy stolen or pirated goods, participate in our CPFs, join the police reservists, participate in neighbourhood watch schemes, share resources and assist in projects with less fortunate communities and assist and support victims of crime.

Over the past year we have been developing the infrastructure to support a social movement against crime. We have done this by changing our approach to community policing forums. More detail will be provided later but it suffices to say now that we have developed guidelines for CPFs that:
1. Provides a structure that is uniform but flexible enough to be utilised across Gauteng by communities with different characteristics.
2. Assistance to ensure that CPFs receive the necessary support to function effectively with a particular focus on those in less resourced communities.

To compliment our new approach to CPFs we have also started developing a new approach towards volunteer management. We will be putting in place systems to mobilise and manage volunteers who participate in various crime prevention and crime combating roles more effectively.

Pillar seven: Integrated Information Management System (IIMS)

In order to successfully implement highly effective programmes that demonstrably improve safety, it is critical to have reliable and timely information. We need to be able to proactively identify locations where concerns relating to road safety and crime start to emerge so that immediate and appropriate interventions can be designed and implemented.

To rectify this situation, the Department will establish a Gauteng Information Management Centre in the course of the next financial year. A key component of this centre will be an Integrated Management System (IMS) which will centralise all information relating to road accidents, fatalities and crime trends in the province. This will provide the province with the ability to identify hazardous locations and respond far more quickly than has so far been the case. This system will also allow us to identify changing crime patterns on an ongoing basis so that we can better assess police responsiveness and performance to addressing crime challenges within each station precinct.

The importance of this project for realising the Department objectives is indicated by the allocation of R25 million for the execution of the project in 2006/07 and R50 million in 2007/08.

Road Safety Plan

The Premier has set a target for us to reduce road fatalities in Gauteng by 30 percent. To achieve this objective we have developed the Gauteng Road Safety Strategy and an Implementation Plan. These are due for presentation to the provincial executive by the end of June and we are on course.

The Road Safety Plan will provide the overarching strategic framework for various role-players at different spheres of government to work in a co-ordinated manner towards improving safety on Gauteng’s roads. The strategy entails a five-pronged framework consisting of education, engineering, enforcement, emergency services and evaluation. The strategy will focus on the road environment, the road user, the vehicle and the road and vehicle support infrastructure. The strategy will also emphasise strengthening law enforcement, stamping out fraud and corruption, improving information systems and enhancing communication and public education.

In this financial year we will focus on strengthening compliance of road users with road regulations and on raising the safety standards of vehicles on our roads.

* We plan to establish a Gauteng Intergovernmental Road Safety Forum (GIRSF) this year to act as a custodian of the road safety strategy and to facilitate ongoing co-ordination and the monitoring of the implementation of the strategy.

* The development and implementation of a law enforcement and adjudication policy should contribute to improved law enforcement and visibility. We must work towards a zero tolerance approach to violations of road safety regulations.

* We must also work towards stamping out fraud and corruption within the law enforcement agencies, at Drivers Licence Testing Centres and at Vehicle Testing Stations.

Programmatic allocations

Civilian oversight: R13 994 000
The Directorate: Monitoring of Service Delivery of the Department has undertaken a station profiling exercise that has provided the Department with a series of baseline indicators against which to assess future progress. The indicators reveal specific details about the leadership structure, personnel and other resource capacity, discipline management, community service centre services, the state of the holding cells, crime prevention activities, detective service performance and the implementation of sector policing. To date 84 of the 126 police station profiles have been completed and the remaining 42 stations will be completed during the course of the new financial year.

The Directorate also conducted 62 police station visits to monitor and report on the delivery of policing services to communities. The stations focused on were priority stations as well as those police stations that attracted high numbers of citizen complaints. The findings of these visits were shared with SAPS management in order for mechanisms to be put in place to deal effectively with identified problem areas.

The Department has developed a police service delivery evaluation toolkit which will be implemented during the new financial year. This toolkit will provide the Department with up to date indicators from a variety of information sources in an electronic format. This system will not only allow us to closely analyse data provided by the police service but also track the experiences of police service delivery by members of the public. Surveys of people who have received services at police stations will be undertaken to allow us to identify specific shortcomings that need to be addressed.

A few key areas that I feel need particular attention include:
* better and consistent crime pattern analysis across all stations
* detective performance and capacity
* improved crime scene management
* improved response times to emergency calls.

We look forward to benefits of the latest restructuring initiative of the SAPS which will see the decentralisation of police resources and managerial decision making. This will go along way to ensure that service delivery to communities where crime is felt most is improved. This initiative further opens opportunities to local governments to engage more closely with the police to solve community safety concerns. We will be carefully monitoring the unfolding restructuring process to contribute to its success.

Oversight of the Metropolitan Police Departments

Metropolitan Police Departments are established and funded by metropolitan councils and therefore are directly accountable to these structures. The provincial Department of Community Safety has a more limited statutory oversight responsibility over the MPDs than its constitutional oversight authority over the SAPS.

Because these agencies have crime prevention and traffic law-enforcement mandates, they can play an important role towards our community safety objectives. We therefore have an interest in working with our colleagues in the metropolitan councils to enhance the service delivery of the metropolitan police departments. We will be exploring the extent to which our police service delivery evaluation toolkit can be utilised towards assessing the performance of these policing agencies in fulfilling their crime prevention, traffic and by-law enforcement mandates.

Monitoring police conduct

The directorate has continued to receive and follow up on complaints that are made against police officials by members of the public. From January to December of 2005, a total of 498 complaints were followed up. A vast majority of these complaints (81 percent) were related to poor service delivery including inadequate investigations or feedback from detectives. The remaining 19 percent were referred to misconduct or criminality in which event the cases were referred to the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) for further investigation and criminal prosecution if necessary.

The SAPS has informed us that they have developed a provincial Prevention of Corruption and Fraud Strategy. In the past year 137 police officials have been arrested in Gauteng for corruption. During this time 88 cases were criminally prosecuted and a further 96 cases are still pending before the courts. A total of 107 cases relating to corruption have appeared or are scheduled to appear before disciplinary hearings.

The Department has an Electronic Tracking System (ETS) in place to manage complaints received by the Department against members of the Gauteng law enforcement agencies. This purpose of this system is to enable the Department to promote accountability and responsibility amongst police officers.

During the past financial year the Department has reviewed ETS to ensure optimal utilisation of information technology to assist in the management of information as well as to inform service delivery improvements. The ETS will be enhanced and will form part of the Department’s Integrated Information Management System (DIIMS) that will inform strategic planning and decision making through the provision of real-time verified information.

In addition, the Department will be hosting a complaints management seminar in the new financial year that will include the SAPS and the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to ensure that complaints against police officers are managed more effectively and efficiently. It is envisaged that clear roles and responsibilities will be agreed on to ensure that officer conduct and service delivery improves throughout the province.

Community dialogue

While the role of the Department with regards to police monitoring will become increasingly focused on empirical indicators relating to the combating of serious crime, it is recognised that the reality of police service delivery is felt on the ground within communities. It is for this reason that the izimbizo programme will continue to be utilised as a mechanism through which community members can provide direct feedback to the MEC and Department about their experiences with the police. Specific problems with the police that are raised at these public meetings are further probed by the Department with the intention of ensuring that appropriate corrective action is taken.

Community Police Forums (CPFs)

During the last financial year the Department established a Community Police Relations Unit (CPRU) to ensure that CPFs were capacitated and functioning efficiently. This initiative followed an assessment of all of the 128 CPFs that exist in the province which found that that there were inconsistencies in what these structures were doing and that many CPFs were not functioning optimally. In particular, it was found that CPFs in poorer communities were in need of support and resources. Our overall conclusion was the same reached by the Public Service Commission study conducted in 2005 namely that, ‘legislation and policies providing the framework for community policing be revisited.’

Consequently, our CPRU together with the Provincial Community Policing Board (PCPB) developed provincial CPF directives and guidelines. These directives are intended to ensure that the following clear minimum standards are in place:
* each CPF has a properly comprised structure and that there is clear role definition for each person in the structure
* that CPFs are fairly representative of the demographics of their communities
* that CPF officials are held accountable to the communities that they serve
* that CPFs have annual plans outlining the activities of the forum for the year
* that CPFs hold regular public meetings to continuously receive feedback from communities about their safety concerns and needs
* that CPFs are able to develop the necessary relations with stakeholders that can assist in designing and implementing effective local level crime prevention initiatives
* that CPFs support sector policing through maximising community participation.

Further assistance has been given to CPFs through, training manuals and workshops on project management, financial management, conflict resolution, business communication and change management. Over 700 CPF members have benefited from this training.

Through the efforts of the Department and various communities, we have seen an increase in active participation in CPFs including Yeoville; Cleveland; Daveyton; Moroka; Mamelodi; Soshanguve; Rietgat; Alexander; Evaton; Sebokeng; Vosloorus; Reigerpark; Kagiso and many more. These communities have also entrenched a culture of community patrol in their areas. To all these brave women and men, siyabonga for your continuing support towards creating a safe and sustainable Gauteng.

I want to give a special mention to Yeoville Police Station because I believe that it provides us with a good example of what can be achieved when the community works with the police to fight crime. About two years ago I accompanied the flying squad to get first hand experience of the challenges faced by the police in dealing with cases of domestic violence. During the patrol a call came through from the 10111 call centre informing the flying squad about a reported rape case involving a nine-year old girl in the Yeoville precinct. Our team raced to the Yeoville police station and on arrival we found that the child and her mother had still not been attended to. The Client Service Centre was a mess and I found a number of victims who had not been given adequate assistance.

It became clear to me that there was lack of control and supervision of members and service delivery at the station was unacceptably poor. At subsequent meeting with the CPF and the station management, it became clear that their relationship was acrimonious. We put in place a process to bring the CPF and police management together to systematically identify and address service delivery problems. Following this intervention I am happy to state that Yeoville Police Station is currently one of the best performing stations in Johannesburg. The station has new management, the client service centre is totally transformed so that a professional service is available to members of the community and crime levels in the area have gone down. Plans to build a new police station in this area are in place and we are in the process of trying to unblock various building hurdles. Other areas that can expect new or upgraded police stations are:
* Duduza
* Eersterus
* Thokoza
* Mamelodi East.

Police performance
Combating crime

The overall serious crime rate continues on a downward trend in the province with a six percent decrease apparent in the latest official crime statistics. The overall decreases in crime in Gauteng during the past financial year can in no small measure be attributed to the hard work of many police officers. The serious and violent crimes unit was able to arrest 1 730 serious perpetrators and as a result of their investigations courts have so far been able to convict 355 of these suspects and hand down 102 life sentences and 6 452 years in prison sentences.

The organised crime unit managed to arrest 52 people leading syndicated crimes or ‘high flyers’ during the last financial year. An example of the kinds of projects undertaken by this unit can be seen in where over a period of two years detectives smashed a syndicate involved in thefts and fraudulent registration of vehicles. During this particular operation a total of 241 vehicles were recovered to the value of R19 million and 47 people were arrested.

The anti-hijacking task team made a total of 1 596 arrests and together with the organised crime units managed to recover 1 861 vehicles and 174 trucks that had been hijacked. Apart from the successes of these specialised units the Gauteng police overall were able to recover and return a total of 16 265 stolen or hijacked vehicles to their rightful owners.

There were also notable successes achieved by the commercial crimes unit and the special court for economic offences. A total of 1 699 people were arrested for various types of fraud and corruption. In the financial year 709 people were convicted and received sentences totalling 943 years imprisonment.

Cash in transit heists and bank robberies

Members will remember that towards the end of last year, Gauteng experienced an upsurge of cash in transit heists and bank robberies. In December of 2005, I called a meeting of the SAPS, Cash in Transit Companies, Metropolitan Police Departments and the CEO of the South African Bank Risk Information Centre (SABRIC). The meeting was convened to ensure a co-ordinated response to this problem of cash robberies. Subsequently the stakeholders developed a strategy that focused on improving communication mechanisms and the sharing of intelligence and other information between relevant parties and improving the proactive and reactive investigations of these crimes. This strategy is being aligned with the SAPS national initiative being undertaken with SABRIC and a new Business against Crime (BAC) strategy to combat cash robberies more broadly.

The police have also arrested a number of Kingpins for their involvement in orchestrating and carrying out cash heists. I am pleased to announce that following these interventions, there has been a decrease in the numbers of these incidents over the past three months.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the police for their speedy arrests after reports that a certain amount of money was stolen from the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit in Benoni. The suspects appeared in court yesterday. That police officers were amongst those arrested should send out a strong message that corruption and criminality will not be tolerated or covered up by the SAPS.

Crimes against women and children

During 2005/06 the police arrested 9 213 people accused of crimes against women and children. During this period a total of 1 446 convictions were secured against people who were prosecuted for these crimes. As a result of good investigative police work, the courts were able to hand down 82 sentences of life imprisonment, 87 sentences of between 16 to 26 years imprisonment, 153 sentences of between 11 to 15 years imprisonment 222 sentences of between six to 10 years imprisonment and 215 sentences of between one to five years of imprisonment. A further 687 sentences were handed down including fines and suspended sentences.

These successes must be welcomed and are a demonstration of the commitment of many police officers to tackling crimes against women and children. There are clear examples that greater collaboration between criminal justice departments and victim empowerment services can yield results in strengthening the ability of the state to take action against the perpetrators of crimes against vulnerable people.

High profile cases

The gruesome murders of the two Mbhele sisters are still fresh in our memories. The bodies of the two sisters Nelisiwe, 15 and Lindiwe, 12, were found on 13 June in a patch of veld metres from their Pimville, Soweto, home from where they had disappeared on 1 June 2005. The police arrested two suspects in April and a third handed himself over recently. All of them are currently out on bail. The trial, however, is still pending. I will continue to work with the police to ensure that justice is served in this matter.

The bodies of Jocelyn Lesito, Constance Moeletsi and Victoria Ndweni were found stuffed into laundry bins. The police have assured me that the matters of concern raised by the magistrate are being dealt with and that the case will soon be re-enrolled at court.

Rural safety

Rural communities are faced with unique safety challenges as the farms are often in relatively remote areas far from police stations and one another. I dedicated the 2006 February Safety Month to working with communities in De Deur, Meyerton and Kliprivier. Some of the observations I made during my visit to these communities are that the rigorous implementation of sector policing, improved relations between employers and employees and community patrols would go a long way in addressing the safety challenges faced by farming communities. My Department, with the office of the Vaal Area Commissioner are working with these communities to ensure that the strategies above are implemented.

Gauteng will stand to benefit from the national Ministers announcement that R265 million that will be spent over the next three years to bolster police reservist numbers by 33 000 officers. Many of these reservists will participate in the national rural safety programme being managed by the SAPS.

Illegal firearms

The targeting of illegal firearms by the police over the past few years appears to be bearing fruit as between 2004 and the end of the current financial year, the police in Gauteng will have destroyed to over 150 000 firearms. This represents a large arsenal that is no longer available to harm our communities.

Nevertheless, far too many legal firearms are ending up in the hands of criminals with a total of 7 231 reported lost or stolen in the past year. This underscores the importance of the national Ministers approach to firearm regulation through the Firearms Control Act of 2000.

Drug dealing

Further examples of improved efforts of the police can be found in the dramatic increase in the number of arrests of people as a result of drug related crimes by 35,9 percent from 9 756 to 13 257. Furthermore, the police managed to detect and close down 52 clandestine drug laboratories and seize 68,9 kg of cocaine powder and 395 198 kg of dagga. During this time 5 197 people were convicted of drug offences in Gauteng.

The Premier’s intervention around this matter in March also highlighted the urgency with which the police had to deal with the brazen selling and dealing in drugs. Members of the community forwarded addresses and information on drug dealing in their communities to both the Premier’s office and Radio 702. This information was followed up by the police and I am happy to report today that this initiative secured 19 arrests out of the seven addresses that were submitted.

Driving under the influence

There has also been an increase of arrests for people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol by 10,7 percent from 6 405 cases to 7 090 cases. This is a positive step as drunken driving contributes significantly to road accidents and fatalities in the province. Together with the Metropolitan Police Departments we are going to continue to take a firm stand against drunken driving.

Safety promotion - R27 939 000

This programme aims to initiate, support and co-ordinate social crime prevention project throughout Gauteng. Social crime prevention is commonly understood to refer to all activities which reduce, deter or prevent the occurrence of specific crimes by altering the environment in which they occur and by changing the conditions which are thought to cause them. While the aim of the criminal justice system is to bring perpetrators of criminal and violent acts to justice, social crime prevention programmes aim to prevent crime from occurring in the first place. This approach forms one of the core pillars of the comprehensive Gauteng Provincial Safety Strategy (GPSS).

This safety promotion programme consists of the following sub-programmes:

Victim Empowerment

The aim of victim empowerment programme is to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse to recover from and escape repeat or secondary victimisation. The flagship of this programme is the Ikhaya Lethemba Victim Empowerment Centre which provides a comprehensive package of services to victims in one location.

During the last year the Ikhaya Lethemba Victim Empowerment Centre provided a range of professional services to a total of 6 904 people. Ikhaya Lethemba provides counselling, medical, legal, police and prosecutorial services to victims of crime in one place. A total of 1 080 victims were provided with court preparation services to assist them with providing testimony in their cases. Shelter was provided to 175 women and children who were victims of domestic violence and sexual offences.

Currently, emergency shelter is provided to these victims for a period of two to three days until they can be placed in other shelters for a longer period if necessary. In the coming financial year shelter services will be extended to ensure that victims of these crimes can be accommodated for six to nine months if necessary and skills training will be offered to those who require it.

The success of this model of integrated service provision to victims has been well recognised both nationally and internationally. Ikhaya Lethemba has received visits from delegations from other provinces and countries interested in establishing similar centres.

In the last financial year, 27 new Victim Empowerment Centres (VECs) were established at police stations in all seven policing areas throughout the province.

In the coming year, an initiative will be implemented to ensure that victims seeking services from the VECs at police stations will have improved access to a greater number of services than is currently the case. Six full time co-ordinators have been employed to improve the referral system at police stations and that where necessary more people seeking help are aware of and able to access Ikhaya Lethemba. Furthermore, as of 19 June the Department will establish a co-ordination structure to support this initiative. The VEC database will be updated and volunteers will all be signing codes of conduct and provided with clear task descriptions. The Department also plans to train a further 50 victim empowerment volunteers to work at these VECs.

School safety

Much has been in the media recently about concerns for the safety of learners at our schools. The National Youth Victimisation Survey that was released earlier this year also highlighted that far too many learners as one in five have felt threatened or been hurt while at school.

We view this situation with utmost concern as exposure to crime or violence at a young age is a well-known risk factor that can contribute towards anti-social or criminal behaviour in young adults. School safety is therefore a priority focus area in our GPSS and we will be working towards ensuring that our schools are not only crime and violence free zones, but that the care and support that learners receive while at school serves to emphasise responsible citizenship and reduce criminal tendencies.

The Department has undertaken an initiative to develop a more comprehensive strategy for improving safety at schools. This strategy will involve relevant role players in addition to the police such as the Department of Social Services. Currently, the Department is in consultation with the Department of Education to finalise the strategy before the end of June. We welcome the recent announcement by Minister of Education Naledi Pandor, to improve the security of learners at our schools and we will be aligning our strategy with this initiative.

Youth crime prevention

It has been well documented that young people between the ages of 15 to 26 are more likely to be victims and perpetrators of crime than people of other ages. This age cohort represents a transition life stage for most young people as they move from adolescence into young adulthood. As young people continue to form an independent identity many are particularly prone to experimentation and risk taking behaviour. It is therefore important to engage with the youth about the consequences of such behaviour but also to channel their energy and enthusiasm towards constructive projects that can assist communities.

The Department has therefore established youth desks at police stations with the intention that they will ensure that police are aware of safety concerns of young people and also initiate various social crime prevention projects in various communities. In the past financial year projects were undertaken to mobilise young people in social crime prevention initiatives in North Rand and Ekurhuleni. To support this initiative youth desks were established in the police stations at the following places Actonville, Soshanguve, Kwathema, Katlehong, Cullinan, Daveyton, Bronkhorstspruit and Ivory Park.

Furthermore, an area level youth desk was established on 6 May 2006 to co-ordinate the social crime prevention projects of the eleven police station based youth desks in Soweto.

An audit is in the process of being undertaken to establish the extent to which the youth desks have successfully managed to engage young people in social crime prevention programmes. This process will allow the Department to identify best practices and provide support to those that are not functioning optimally.

We will be engaging with the newly established Youth Commission to ensure that youth desks become effective agencies for engaging the youth in social crime prevention initiatives.

Traffic management and traffic law enforcement

Traffic management continues to receive the lion’s share (39 percent) of the department’s total budget due to the large personnel contingent of this programme. About 70 percent of this line item goes to the salaries of the 571 provincial traffic officers who are directly involved in traffic law enforcement and the costs of supporting their work administratively.

As with crime, so with road safety, the work of the Department depends crucially on co-operation with colleagues at local government level. Most fatalities occur within the jurisdiction of the metros, districts and local councils. Collaboration in planning and prioritisation, joint decision-making and co-ordinated operations are therefore crucial if we are to achieve better levels of road safety and the 30 percent reduction in road fatalities identified by the Premier. My colleagues at local government and I are now in agreement that this target is not for my Department alone. It is good to be able to announce that there was a 6,8 percent decrease in road accident fatalities over the last December period when compared to the same period the year before. However, 302 people still lost their lives and this still unacceptably high.

Through traffic management, the Department will enhance strategies focusing on pedestrian safety; vehicle management; driver management and community education. The Department will also ensure proper accident and traffic offence investigations and contribute towards the elimination of corruption within the service.

Pedestrian safety

Pedestrian deaths account for about 50 percent of the road accident fatalities that occur in this province. Most of these deaths are avoidable. The fact that such a large number of pedestrians die on our roads is one manifestation of the social development challenges that our country has. The pedestrians who are dying are generally people who live in informal settlements located near the main arterial roads. Road safety should therefore be contextualised as an aspect of the development challenge that Gauteng faces as a global city-region.

I am confident that this is a matter that can be successfully addressed through planned and concerted action. Colleagues will recall my intervention, together with the mayor of Tshwane in Olievenhoutbosch last year. Our efforts were aimed at developing a coordinated response. Since that intervention there has only been one fatality in an area that has claimed many lives.

It is clear to us that the provincial road safety strategy has to answer a simple but crucial question, how do we continue to systematically reduce road accident fatalities involving pedestrians across the province.

Hazardous locations

In the year ahead, the Department will further prioritise the improvement of intervention strategies for the elimination of hazardous traffic locations. This will be done through the regular auditing and planning of multi-disciplinary interventions. Some of the prioritised hazardous locations include: Moloto Road (there is currently an inter-provincial committee comprising of officials from Mpumalanga and Gauteng policing this road jointly); Somalia informal settlement situated along Barry Marais Road (N3 in Ekurhuleni mainly pedestrians crossing the highway); R101 Old Warmbaths Road; Palm Springs informal settlement near the Golden Highway; Hendrick Potgieter Road and Hanstrydom in Randburg (this resulting from increased vehicle usage on these roads because of rapid developments in the area); Beyers Naude Drive; Church Street in Pretoria; R55 Olivenhoutbosch Road.

Vehicle and driver licence system

The issuing of false roadworthy certificates and illegal drivers licences is a matter that has to be addressed decisively because this is among the root causes behind the high number of road accident fatalities in our province.

These are matters that are receiving ongoing attention and are one of the focus areas of the road safety strategy that is in the process of being finalised. An interdepartmental task team has been established comprising of senior managers from the departments of community safety and public transport, roads and works. And further steps are being taken to strengthen the transport inspectorate including:
* establishing independent forensic capacity in the inspectorate
* developing a disciplinary code
* standardising operating procedures.

I want to make it very clear to the owners of testing stations that they have to take steps to clean up their operations because I am not prepared to tolerate the levels of corruption and fraud that appears to be endemic in their industry.

I would like to take this opportunity to indicate that as a result of an investigation carried out by the Head of Department (HOD), per my instructions, I have received the following report and recommendations from her:
* 11 driving licences are recommended for cancellation which were issued contrary to the National Road Traffic Act 93/96
* two suspects have been arrested at A-Plus Testing Station for issuing 341 fraudulent roadworthy certificates
* three Vehicle Testing Stations have been recommended for closure for not complying with the National Road Traffic Act 93/96
* three runners have been arrested for collaborating with the testing stations in issuing fraudulent roadworthy certificates
* 11 examiners have been recommended for suspension for fraudulently issuing roadworthy certificates and driving licences.

I have accepted all of her recommendations and they will be acted on. The closing of testing stations however does not fall within my authority and I will therefore be engaging in discussions with the MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works in this regard.

As I have already indicated, stamping out corruption in the whole traffic management system and in particular the Driver Licence Testing Centres and Vehicle Testing Stations is one of the priorities identified in the provincial Road Safety Strategy. This objective requires that we examine and reengineer the system as a whole.

Corporate governance, planning and capacity development

During the forthcoming financial year the Department will strengthen its strategic planning processes and ensure that adequate resources are allocated towards the implementation of the Provincial and Road Safety Plans (PRSP). Furthermore a Human Resources Strategy (HRS) will be finalised with a view to determining the medium and long-term human resource requirements for the successful implementation of the Department’s strategic objectives and programmes. This strategy will include policies on succession planning, retention of talent and skills and the training and development of staff.

Programme monitoring and evaluation is a key element of the Department's strategic planning and implementation cycle and will be strengthened through the implementation of the integrated information management system.

Conclusion

Mr Speaker and honourable members, in concluding this address I return to a heartfelt plea I made in the beginning for the people of Gauteng of all persuasions, ethnicities and genders and orientations to come together in the struggle to overcome violent crime, build a decent and compassionate society and to consolidate our democratic freedoms. It is illusory to think that any of these noble goals can be pursued separately and that they can be accomplished by our society divided against itself.

I would like to take this opportunity to request you all foes and friends alike, to join me in thanking the SAPS Provincial Commissioner, all the area commissioners, the station commissioners for their tireless efforts that have not gone unnoticed. I would also like to thank the committed members of our CPFs and the many hundreds of volunteers who support the Departments programmes, as well as those who have joined the SAPS as reservists. I also ask you, last but certainly not least to join me in thanking the Head of Department and all the hard working members of my Department. I know that there are many out there in the communities who are aware of their indefatigable spirit and resolute commitment to the cause of community safety.

Issued by: Department of Community Safety, Gauteng Provincial Government
9 June 2006
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautsafety.gpg.gov.za/)