Chairperson of the NATJOINTS, Lieutenant General Mawela,
Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Ngobeni,
Major Generals and other senior officers present,
Representatives of partner departments from the NATJOINTS,
Representatives of the news media,
Members on parade.
Thank you for the introduction, Lieutenant General Ngobeni. We appreciate the concise manner in which you have spelt out the duties which the members on parade will be performing over the next 10 days.
It is indeed a privilege for me to address you here today as we declare our readiness to host an international conference which is very close to my heart – the International Association of Women Police’s 51st Training Conference.
Lieutenant General Mawela, usually when we hold these state-of-readiness parades, we are advising the nation that we are well prepared to perform duties to secure events hosted by others. Today we are announcing that member-departments of the Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, both nationally and provincially, are about to deploy to secure and safeguard an event hosted by the South African Police Service.
In just five days’ time, on Sunday the 22nd of September, the opening ceremony for the IAWP Training Conference 2013, will be underway, with the March of Nations commencing at this very spot.
The International Association of Women Police, (shortened to IAWP), has been in existence since 1915, and will therefore soon celebrate its centenary. Although first established in the United States, the IAWP now spans the globe, with representation in 18 regions worldwide. South Africa belongs to Region 18, which is Africa.
This conference is special in so many ways. It bears testimony to the extraordinary efforts of the members of the South African Police Service’s Women’s Network. In just a decade the SAPS Women’s Network has grown in leaps and bounds.
From starting out as a network for South African women police officials to interact and support each other, it has grown locally, regionally and internationally.
The SAPS Women’s Network is now recognized as a “force to be reckoned with” and landed the bid to host this year’s training conference over many other police forces.
We are expecting at least 1 000 delegates to descend on our shores over the next few days to attend the conference.
What makes this conference even more significant is the fact that, in a century, this is the first time that it is being held on the African continent. As South Africans, we have prioritized that we ensure that as many of our sisters-in-blue from other African countries as possible have been afforded an opportunity to attend.
The National and Provincial Joints structures are made up of the security forces, different law enforcement agencies, the intelligence community and various government departments and other entities which unite and work towards a common goal.
Their successes in securing events in a coordinated manner are well documented and I have no doubt that in this event, they will notch up another success.
The members on parade today, identified by their uniforms, are representative of the multi-disciplinary approach to events of this nature, which ensures that all facets of big event security management are covered.
To each and every member who will no doubt be working tirelessly to safeguard our delegates, I want to thank you in advance for the many hours of hard work that you will be performing.
From the moment our delegates, and in some instances their family members as well, arrive in South Africa, their safety and well-being will be your concern. I want to ask you to show the professionalism and dedication for which we, as the host-nation to hundreds of big events, have become renowned.
Many of our international guests for the IAWP training conference, like you, are law enforcement officers and we, as the hosts, want to show off our disciplined, courteous and hospitable public servants.
At the same time, we want you to follow your official brief to the letter. We can be hospitable without ever considering bending standard rules, regulations and laws. Any requirement which is expected of visitors to this province and our country must be complied with.
Once again, my sincere thanks to all on parade and all involved in the arrangements which have been in progress for well over a year. Let us showcase our country, our fantastic weather and beautiful scenery as only we, South Africans, can.
