Programme director
Honourable mayor of eThekwini municipality
Provincial commissioner
Deputy provincial commissioners
Head of department
All senior officials from the departments
Members of South African Police Service (SAPS)
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be asked to speak in this auspicious occasion, the recognition of excellence in policing in our province of KwaZulu-Natal. On behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, we salute all women and men in blue for their tireless service to the people of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa. As the provincial government, our priorities are in-order, fighting crime remains on top of our list.
In the context of fighting crime, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is our first and last line of defence. In recognising this special role that the SAPS play, the concept of rewarding members for going an extra mile was born. These awards are very unique, in that the nomination and selection process is community driven. Therefore, the recipients’ of today’s awards must know that their excellence is according to the communities they serve.
The rationale for greater community participation is driven in part by our realisation that those who receive the service are best placed in evaluating the service’s value. Put differently, these awards are an investment in the pride, confidence and trust placed by the people of the Province in the SAPS.
However, it should be noted that in all awards systems, not all winners actually receive awards. As far as we are concerned all good police officers are indeed winners. I therefore wish to caution all those whose names will not be announced as winners today not to despair. We remain mindful that in essence, excellence is a microcosm of team work.
The outcome of the MEC’s Community Awards for Police Excellence is to entrench and promote the concept of community policing. To honour a few actually is, but, a token of appreciation for the SAPS organisational achievements. It is not necessary to create a perception that some officers or stations are better than the rest. As a Chinese proverb goes: “behind every able man, there are always other able men”.
Let me reiterate that the broad objectives of these excellence awards are to identify and reward stations or individuals that have demonstrated outstanding ability in the following:
* Outstanding service to the community
* Outstanding service to women and children who are at highest risk of falling victim to crime
* Effective police-community relations
* Exceptional management and leadership practices
* Vision and innovation in all facets of crime prevention and law enforcement, optimum use of financial and human resources to improve performance
* Optimum use of intelligence gathering to improve police detection and conviction rates
* Optimum use of technology to improve the quality of crime investigations
* Outstanding adherence and compliance to all applicable laws, policies, regulations, and standing orders, general or specific, of the country.
In keeping with our broad objectives, winners will be drawn from the following categories:
1. Best police station
2. Best specialised unit: Family, child and Sexual Offences unit (FCS)
3. Best specialised unit: stock theft
4. Best unit: Community Service Centre
5. Best unit: crime prevention
6. Best unit: detectives
7. Best performing community police forum (CPF) per area
8. Veteran CPF award (nominated by department)
9. Best performing CPF member per area (nominated by department)
10. Best CPF coordinator (station based) (nominated by department)
In addition to these, there is a special category for the MEC to nominate men or women whose service to the community is beyond reproach. In this category, we have the following:
MEC special awards
* Best policeman in the province
* Best policewoman in the province
* Top cop: community conflict, the best police officer in mediating community conflict
* Top cop: organised crime, the best police officer in combating organised crime.
In his address at the Build a United Front Against Crime symposium, our Honourable Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize said the KwaZulu-Natal residents must move away from having “gripe sessions” about the police; instead join the war against crime and criminals. Dr Mkhize emphasised that “We are here to build a united front against crime. It is a campaign that no one can have a reason not to be part of. There will be no spectators; it is literally a battle for survival.”
Programme director, I recall these words from our premier to underscore a point that these awards fit seamlessly within the provincial government new crime fighting programme dubbed “Build a United Front Against Crime”. These awards are about a historical alliance of good men and women against evil. They are, a recognition that policing is by nature a partnership of those who subscribe to the notion of safer communities.
It is a universal language of service to one’s country, to deepen democracy, and to protect its citizens, especially the most valuable amongst us, all victims of crime in particular women and children. In his State of the Nation Address on 11 February 2010, His Excellence President Jacob Zuma declared 2010, a year of action. President Zuma further said this government must work faster, harder and smarter.
Programme director, the president has spoken. Let us act against crime and criminals. The war against crime and criminals is winnable. We must accelerate this war. We shall neither fail nor falter. We owe it to all the men and women in blue, deceased or alive to support you, provide you with the best training, equipment and most importantly information that will help you in tracking down criminals or preventing criminal acts from occurring.
To this end, programme director, the implementation of the resolutions that emanated from the symposium on Building a United Front Against Crime will be faster, and smarter. The war against crime and criminals requires no spectators. We are in this together.
In conclusion let me echo the words of one of the famous thinkers, one Abraham Lincoln, he once said: “I do the very best I know how, the very best I can and I mean to keep on doing so until the end”.
I therefore ask each and every member of the SAPS to do their best, the very best, and keep doing so till the end.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Community Safety and Liaison, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
19 February 2010
Source: Department of Community Safety and Liaison, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzncomsafety.gov.za/)
