MEC VR Shongwe’s Policy and Budget Speech for the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison
24 May 2012
Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier of the Province, Mr DD Mabuza
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature
Honourable Members of the Executive Council
House of Traditional Leaders
Head of Department, Mr Thulani Sibuyi and fellow HODs from other departments
South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General
Thulani Ntobela
Public Safety councilors from different municipalities
Representatives from the JCPS cluster
Chairperson of the Provincial Community Police Forum Board Mr Kevin Pillay
Distinguished guests
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen
Honourable Speaker, a Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “A journey
of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Others will say the journey of a
thousand miles begins at your feet.
As an orator, I would like to say to the house and the entire populace
of Mpumalanga that the journey towards safer communities is in progress. This
journey has been jointly undertaken by SAPS, traffic authorities and community
at large. We are all working tirelessly to ensure that safety is not an issue
for the law enforcement agencies alone but is everybody’s business.
Fighting crime and corruption is one of the five key Government
priorities which have since been translated into 12 outcomes. Our department is
mandated to achieve on the third outcome where we are to ensure that “All People
in South Africa are and feel safe”.
This outcome compels the department to ensure the safety of people on the roads, in their homes, in churches and everywhere they are. Our Traffic Officials and SAPS, complimented by an army of communities, are gradually winning the war against criminality and road carnage.
Honourable Speaker, for the financial year 2010/2011crime statistics
shows that there has been a reduction in most categories and as such we became a
leading Province in crime reduction in the whole country.
Honourable speaker, the 2011 festive season also recorded a decrease in
road carnage, which is also another indication of the strides we are making to
ensure that our roads are indeed turned from killer roads into safer roads.
All the work and steps that we are taking are distinctly characterized
by our newly adopted slogan for the department which says “SEKWANELE BOPHA”,
meaning that enough is enough; people should stop (in the form of Bopha)
whatever wrong they are doing.
This includes stop speeding, stop overloading and stop violating road
regulations. This is being emphasized through the department’s road safety
education wing. The law enforcement (bopha) comes into effect to those who do
not heed to the call made by the department.
We further made our intentions clear when we established the Traffic Intervention Unit (TIU) to concentrate on the so called killer roads which includes N4, R40, N2, N11, R38, R33 etc.
Honourable Speaker, these successes prove that we have successfully carried out our mandate for the medium term which was to lead outcome number 3 that addresses the following outputs:
- Reducing the levels of overall contact crime by 4-7 % per annum
and intensify efforts of fighting crimes against women and children and the
trio crimes (high jacking, business and house robberies)
- Mobilization of the communities in the fight against crime
- An effective and integrated criminal justice system
- Manage crime perceptions and
- Manage our borders effectively
Honorable Speaker last year in December, 18 people died in one accident that involved people from Mozambique, while this week eight people also died in one accident when a Mozambican registered mini-bus overturned on N4 near Machadodorp.
As part of enhancing road safety and strengthening border security, we will meet with our Mozambican and Swaziland counterparts to address some of the challenges relating to our ports of entry. In our meeting we will among others discuss rhino poaching and road safety.
Honourable Speaker, I deliberately took a decision to do my oversight
work on the police by sometimes patrolling with them on the ground so that I can
get firsthand experience on the work they are doing rather than sitting in my
office to scrutinize and analyze their reports.
It never worried me when some people wanted to remind me all the time that I was not a police officer, and I am happy that this hands-on approach in the fight against crime is bearing sweet fruits.
When we say our communities should work with the law enforcement agencies, we do not only shout from podiums and through the media, but we became the first to do so and led the way towards a safer Mpumalanga.
We will continue mobilizing our communities together with the police because failure to do so will result in discontentment among our communities regarding crime. Our interaction with communities will further enable us to improve communication with the communities.
Honourable Speaker, in order to intensify the fight against the abuse
of women and children in the province, we successfully coordinated the 16 Days
of Activism for No Violence against woman and children campaign in the last
financial year. The opening and the national closing function for the campaign
were held at Mbombela (Matafeni) and Msukaligwa (Chrissiesmeer) respectively.
As we have stated before, the campaign was supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector. This Honourable Speaker, was a confirmation that the department laid a strong foundation in ensuring that safety issues remain everybody’s business.
The following are some of the interventions that were done as part of
the campaign.
The Department of Social Development through its agency SASSA provided food parcels at Matafeni. In particularly, the closing function was supported by Standard Bank with food parcels for 100 less fortunate families in Chrissiesmeer.
The Department of Human Settlements handed over 16 houses to identified families at Chrissiesmeer, some of which were people with disabilities. The Department of Correctional Services in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements donated a house to a child headed family at Matsulu.
The Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison also facilitated the building of a house to be handed over to an elderly woman in Acornhoek under the banner of the campaign. The house, with compliments from the South African Breweries (SAB) will provide shelter for the woman and this will protect her from abusers. This project is done in partnership with the Acornhoek Police Station and the house is due to be handed over on the 09 June 2012. All these are an indication that the campaign is not only remembered during the 16 days period between 25 November and 10 December, but a year-long campaign.
Honourable Speaker, we had prioritized crime prevention campaigns that
were conducted under the following areas of work:
- Tourism safety campaigns,
- Gender based violence campaigns,
- School safety,
- Border security campaigns,
- Anti-stock theft campaigns,
- Moral regeneration campaigns,
- Human trafficking campaigns,
- Campaigns on assault GBH.
- Tavern and shebeen owners’ workshops,
Fighting crime requires a coherent, predetermined plan of action and as a result the department made a commitment of assisting municipalities to develop their Safety Plans. In the last financial year four municipalities were prioritized for the implementation of municipal safety plans, namely Mkhondo, Thembisile Hani, Dr J S Moroka and Bushbuckridge. We continue to work with municipalities to help them implement their safety plans.
Honourable Speaker, in line with the National Crime Prevention Strategy
(NCPS), the department has supported Multi-Agency Mechanisms (MAM) structures at
local municipal level which assisted in properly directing crime related
interventions that are cross-cutting within those various municipalities.
We have noted though the varying degree of functionality of these
structures especially in the Nkangala Region, and we will continue to engage our
partners at local government level to ensure that these structures really
deliver on their mandate, that of integrated, community driven crime prevention.
We want to make a call to all department and relevant community structures to
participate in the MAM structures, as crime prevention requires a multi-urgency
approach.
The department has been vigorously involved in the process of ensuring that all police stations in the province have functional CPFs. While the functionality part is still a concern in some areas, we can confirm that by the end of March 2012, 86 police stations in the province had CPF structures in place. This, Honorable Speaker is a clear indication that we are already on course of this journey of thousand miles to set our people free from crime and road carnage. We will work closely with the provincial CPF Board to ensure that where there are challenges of functionality, we address them on the spot.
As part of our continuous efforts to ensure safety of tourists from all
walks of life and to guarantee that Mpumalanga is their destination of choice,
we have deployed 511 Tourist Safety Monitors (TSMs) for the financial year
2011/12. This project contributes towards poverty alleviation as it absorbs
unemployed youth on a 12 month contract and they are paid a monthly stipend. The
project has also received support from the Department of Public Works through a
conditional grant that assisted in increasing the numbers of our intake.
PLANS FOR 2012/13 FINANCIAL YEAR
Fighting Crime is non-negotiable
Honourable Speaker, it is our deliberate intention to fight crime and not to negotiate with criminals. We are readying our self to intensify the fight against crime working with law abiding citizens of Mpumalanga.
The NCPS talks to four pillars of crime prevention and one of which is
“environmental design”.
It is against this background that the Department of Community Safety,
Security and Liaison fully support the Police in the fight against crime through
technology.
SAPS has identified seven hotspots areas that need CCTV cameras. These cameras
will be installed in phases, commencing from the financial year 2012/13 to
2014/15.
These areas include: Bushbuckridge, Hazyview, Pienaar, Kabokweni,
Tonga, Vosman and Witbank.
The cameras will be linked to the War Room situated in the Nelspruit
Command Centre where the footage will be analyzed and they will not only be used
to prevent crime, but also assist detectives to arrest criminals.
The long term goal is to have all Port of Entries in the province also linked to the War Room to monitor the movement of people and goods at our borders.
CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES
The Premier of the Province, Honourable DD Mabuza said in his State of the Province Address,”We committed ourselves to reduce crime and corruption to the extent where all South Africans can walk the streets any time of day free and fearless; sleep in their homes without all sorts of security measures; drive their cars anytime and anywhere without fear of being hi-jacked and grow their children without any fear of drug lords and rapists”.
The department, Honourable Speaker is therefore planning to enhance Rural Safety initiatives by increasing paralegal workshops and awareness campaigns. As part of this intervention, the department will also coordinate inter-governmental mobile services to the farming communities.
School Safety
The department in partnership with the Department of Education, SAPS
and Social Development has put together an integrated school safety strategy.
The purpose of the strategy is to synergize school safety interventions from
various stakeholders with a view to maximize the impact. In line with the
strategy, anti-substance abuse campaigns, symposia and debates at schools on
safety issues and prison visits will be implemented amongst others,will be
implimented.
Progress on the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children
Over the past years, we have conducted successful campaigns in view of
crime against women and children. We appreciate the work that has been done
though not satisfied about progress that is being made in this regard.
We therefore call upon all government departments in the province, all
community leaders, the private sector and civil society at large to join hands
with the department to make this campaign meaningful. We have set aside a budget
of R1, 5 million for the current financial year to continue with this area of
work.
The department will also look at possibilities of evaluating the implementation of the campaign in order to make a determination whether we are making a positive impact among our people or not.
Our observation has revealed that victim empowerment is an area that is
still lagging behind in terms of support. There is a need for an effective
response specifically to victims of rape and domestic violence. We acknowledge
the existing initiatives by government at all levels, but it is our belief that
a lot still needs to be done in this area of work.
The Thuthuzela model for example does not cover the whole province and currently some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that provide victim empowerment services are about to close down because of insufficient funding. It is our concerted view that part of the solution to this challenge rests in integrating the existing initiatives in order to achieve maximum impact.
We have since put together a support programme which mainly focuses on ensuring that all police stations have victim friendly facilities. We believe that working in unison with other sister departments; we can overcome the challenge of victimization of women and children in our society.
Taverns and Shebeens
In line with the operations conducted by the Police, DEDET, DCSSL, it
was found that most liquor outlets owners do not comply with the license
conditions issued to them. It was also established through the analysis of crime
statistics that most of contact crimes, particularly assaults and murders are
linked to the abuse of liquor, hence the department deemed it necessary to
strengthen the taverns’ and shebeen owners capacity building programmes.
The department will massively mobilize tavern and shebeen owners to
comply with the legislation regulating their business and educate them on the
principle of responsible drinking. A number of workshops will be conducted in
all three regions in partnership with the private sector regarding the above.
Public Participation
Public participation activities continue to be a critical tool to engage with communities and we also afford them an opportunity to give us feedback about the work that is being done to fight crime and road carnage. Communities offer us an opportunity to reflect and identify stumbling blocks and frustrations hampering our efforts to make the people of the province safe.
Honourable Members, the department will be conducting two Izimbizo (public participation activities) and four feedback sessions during this financial year. All departments in the JCPS cluster will participate during the sessions and activities.
Where possible, these activities will be preceded by operations that
will mainly consist of visits to taverns to check compliance with the law, law
enforcement patrols and road blocks. This will be done under the umbrella of the
department's Overall Friday campaign.
Through these operations, we want to deal with compliance matters and
to encourage responsible trading and drinking among the communities. An amount
of R1, 550 million has been set aside for this initiative.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Part of the constitutional responsibilities that the department is entrusted with is to improve the relations between the police and the community. To this end the department in liaison with the South African Police Service has put together a support programme for the CPFs. The programme is two pronged: on one hand we assist the police stations in reviving the CPFs in cases where the term of office has expired or in cases where the CPF structures are properly functioning. This is done by way of reconstituting the structures as well as inducting the new members.
The department also supports the CPFs by supplying patrol teams with
materials such as torches, whistles and reflector jackets. During this financial
year, 35 CPF structures will be assisted in this regard.
In order to enhance the functionality of CPFs, we need to bring all
stakeholders on board. An institutional framework needs to be put in place to
enable a proper process of engagement and support to these structures. The
department will therefore promote an active involvement of local government in
these structures. It is our view that without proper alignment of community
governance structures, the partnerships needed in preventing crime at a
community level will not succeed.
Through MUNIMEC and CSFs structures, the department seeks to strengthen
crime prevention partnerships at local level.
Tourist Safety Monitors
It is our considered view that paramount to economic development is the
provision of safety and security to our tourists and visitors. The department is
still continuing with the deployment of tourist safety monitors in the present
financial year. This is employment creation programme of the department and will
deploy 538 TSMs as follows: 290 in Ehlanzeni Region, 130 in Gert Sibande and 118
in Nkangala Region.
TRANSPORT REGULATION
Honourable Speaker, the Department was able to increase traffic policing visibility by procuring thirty eight patrol vehicles. We have also purchased 04 motor cycles that will enhance law enforcement and assist in all ceremonial events in the province.
Out of the 827 provincial inspectors, 89 have been seconded to the newly established Traffic Intervention Unit (TIU) which was launched on 30 September 2011 to focus on the identified priority roads in the province. This unit was able to issue 26 391 notices, arrested 1 189 drivers since its launch.
Honorable Speaker, out of the 1189 arrested, 992 was for drunken driving.
Honourable Speaker, of the drivers arrested for speed, nine drivers were convicted by the court of law and their driver’s licenses have been suspended for a minimum period ranging from six months to a maximum three years.
The department is currently operating six static weighbridges and eleven Lay – Byes that are jointly operated with the South African National Road Agency Limited (SANRAL) along the Maputo Corridor. We also operate three static provincial weighbridges. The purpose of the weighbridges is to protect and preserve the provincial road infrastructure network. In an effort to cover the other routes that have high volume of trucks due to coal haulage, the operation of the Bethal weighbridge is expected to commence during the third quarter of the 2012/2013 financial year.
The province has noted the increase of cargo vehicles on the N4 to and
from Mozambique which creates an 11, 5% increase on vehicles weighed. The
department weighed 661 728 vehicles compared to the target of 594 319 vehicles
for this financial year. Out the 661 728 vehicles weighed 140 432 were found to
be overloaded and they were charged, 127 858 were given warnings.
Safety Engineering
On average, the province’s fatalities have decreased by 0.63 percent, however it must be noted that Nkangala district had the highest number of fatalities with four hundred and eight (408), followed by Gert Sibande with three hundred and fifty one (351), Ehlanzeni South with two hundred and thirty five (235) and lastly Ehlanzeni North with ninety three (93).
Although there is a decrease in fatalities, the N4 still had the highest fatalities compared to other routes in the province with one hundred and sixty nine fatalities.
Out of the total number of 5 670 accidents, 1 471 accidents involve
pedestrians which resulted in 265 fatalities. Kungako sithi Sekwanele Bopha!
Road Safety
Education
In his State of the Province Address, the Premier, DD Mabuza said “We
shall continue with our efforts in making our roads safer for all users
including rolling out programmes to educate our people as part of changing their
behaviour and working closely with the Department of Education by providing
licenses at certain grades”.
Honourable Speaker, to put into action the marching orders as outlined by the Premier, we will roll out specific programmes that will improve road safety awareness amongst our communities.
The following programmes will be rolled out
- Scholar patrol
- Driver education (DOTY & No.1 Taxi driver campaign)
- Junior Traffic Training Centre (JTTC)
- Road safety school debates
- Participatory Education Techniques (PET)
- Community Road Safety Councils (CRSC’s)
- Rest stops
- Road shows
- Road Safety Choral Music Competitions
In our endeavor to manage road safety through partnerships, the department has managed to collaborate with the following stakeholders in road safety initiatives.
- Anglo American has adopted the Road Safety Debate Programme.
- ESKOM has built ten (10) Junior Traffic Training Centres (JTTC's)
in schools.
- Xstrata Coal mines have participated and assisted in road safety
activities.
- TSB to build an Advanced Junior Traffic Training Centre
Another most notable milestone for this department, Honourable Speaker,
is the fact that our province will be sending five drivers to the forthcoming
International Driver of Year Competition to be held in North West in August
2012. Overall the South African team will be represented by 15 drivers.
In line with the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020)
the Department will review the current Provincial Safety Strategy (2006 – 2010)
to ensure a holistic approach to road safety. One of the pillars of the strategy
will be early childhood road safety interventions.
For the 2012/13 financial year in particular, the department will pilot the early childhood road safety interventions at identified preschools.
In partnership with TSB we will also establish an Advanced Junior
Traffic Training Centre (JTTC) at Nkomazi Local Municipality (Tonga).
TRAFFIC INSPECTORATE
Honourable Speaker, the Traffic Inspectorate Unit is mandated to combat
fraud and corruption within Driving License Testing Centers in the Province. The
Department received 20 complaints related to fraud and corruption. With the
constant monitoring and inspections conducted by the unit, elements of fraud and
corruption have been minimized. Of the 20 fraud and corruption complaints that
were received, eighteen complaints were investigated and finalized.
In keeping up with our commitment of fighting corruption, Honorable Speaker, four criminal cases were registered and seven arrests were effected. Four officials were dismissed from their employment.
Establishment of Traffic College
With regards to the establishment of the Traffic College, the
department has set aside a budget of 20 million for the design, geo tech and
environmental impact analysis for the current financial year.
The college will be built in Calcutta, Bushbuckridge Municipality.
The college will benefit this rural community both in terms of temporal employment during construction and permanent employment when the college is functional.
TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION AND LICENSING
We have taken further measures to deal with corruption and fraud at our licensing centers as well as improving efficiency by committing to install two Computerized Learners License Testing Systems in eMalahleni (Witbank) and Lekwa (Standerton) Licensing Centres.
Over and above the Computerized Learners Testing Systems, we will also install four queuing systems at eMalahleni (Witbank), Lekwa (Standerton), Thembisile Hani (KwaMhlanga) and Bushbuckridge (Mapulaneng).
The Honourable Premier, DD Mabuza said that “Step by step, brick by
brick, the ANC-led government, together with the people of this country, is busy
at work, building a future democratic society as envisioned by our forebears in
1912 and guided by our blue print – the Freedom Charter”.
The same document, the Freedom Charter also guarantees our people Security and we are on course, busy at work to realize this objective. The journey of a thousand miles has been started and step by step, brick by brick we will ensure that our people are and feel safe.
In conclusion Honourable Speaker, let me thank the Honourable Premier of the Province, Mr David Mabuza for the sterling leadership and further commit that indeed, step by step, brick by brick, we will win the fight against crime and corruption.
I would also like to thank all Executive Committee Members for their continued support.
Members of the Provincial Legislature and the Portfolio Committee and its Chairperson have played a vital role in guiding and monitoring the work that we have been doing.
I am also grateful to the dream team from my department under the stewardship of the youthful and energetic HOD Mr. Thulani Sibuyi, for its commitment and dedication. It is this very team that enabled the department to receive a Clean Audit Report from the Auditor General for the financial year 2010/2011.
The SAPS Management in the Province under the sterling leadership of
Lt. General Ntobela, the entire Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster
for their continued and reliable support.
Lastly Mr Speaker let me thank my wife and my
family for their loving support and to all friends and comrades who have been a
pillar of strength.
Honourable Speaker, allow me therefore to present and table to this house the budget for Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison as follows:
- Programme 1: Administration: (Seventy nine million, four hundred and six thousand rands) R79 406 000
- Programme 2: Civilian Oversight: (ten million one, one hundred and thirty nine thousand rands) R10 139 000
- Programme 3: Crime Prevention and Community Police Relations: (Thirty nine million and sixty seven thousand rands) R39 067 000.
- Programme 4: Transport Regulations: (Three hundred and twenty eight million, two hundred and eighty six thousand rands) R328 286 000.
- Programme 5: Security Management: (Three hundred and forty six million, eight hundred six thousand rands) R346 806 000.
The total budget for the vote is eight hundred and three million, seven hundred and four thousand rands (R803 704 000).
“Sekwanele, Bopha.”I thank you.
