Programme Director,
Chairperson, Cde Ishmael Kgetjepe, and Members of the Portfolio Committee on Safety, Security and Liaison,
Chairperson of the Limpopo Provincial House of Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi S.F Makgeru,
Chairperson of the Congress of Traditional Leaders in Limpopo, Kgoshi S.S Sekororo,
Chairperson of the Limpopo Traditional Healers Association, Dr Hlathi,
Chairperson, Mr Mafune, and Members of the Provincial Community Police Forum Board,
Acting-Head of Department of Safety, Security and Liaison, Me N.N Tsebe,
Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen T.S Mpembe and Limpopo SAPS Management,
Representatives of Organised Labour,
Representatives of the Interfaith Movement,
Representatives from the Research and Academic Fraternity,
Representatives of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority,
Representatives of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good Morning,
The attacks and the killing of the police must be seen for what it really is, a violent assault on our hard-earned freedom and democracy. These acts of violence against the police can therefore not be taken light by society. Our meeting here today is a sign that we have read the signals of the threat to our freedom and democracy quite well, and we are responding in kind.
To build the case for the conclusion that the attacks and killing of police is an attack on our freedom and democracy, allow me to quote from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: Chapter 11: Section 205 Sub-Section (3): “The objects of the police service are to prevent, combat and investigate crime, to maintain public order, to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, and to uphold and enforce the law.”
This is how the Constitution of the country defines the role of the police service. If you remove or undermine the Constitutional role of the police service you will have the following situation:
- Rampant Crime
- Public Disorder/Anarchy
- Vulnerable people and property
- Lawlessness
You will agree with me that if this situation prevails our hard-won freedom and democracy will disappear. Our situation will become worse. The scenario that I have sketched appear far-fetched today because the democratic government still has the capacity to deliver the police service to the people of South Africa, and also to visitors to our beautiful and wealthy country.
For the democratic government to maintain the rule of law and guarantee safety and security to citizens and visitors to our country we have men and women of the South Africa Police Service. They are the ones who know no sleep so that South Africans are safe and their property secure; they are the ones who don’t get to be with their loved ones when the bulk of the country is enjoying the festive periods.
So committed and passionate are our police that we tend to forget that they are people too, that they have loved ones like us; that they too get hurt and cry. Over the years our police service has demonstrated that they can compare with the best in the world. When prophets of doom and gloom suggested alternatives to South Africa hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, our men and women of the South African Police Service (SAPS) contributed in no small measure to the tournament being the best the world body had ever organised.
This success was realized on African soil, in South Africa to be particular. Most importantly, the successful hosting of the world tournament took place under the careful watch of our police service. This is how we want things to be: today, tomorrow and forever.
Much as it may be the desire of the vast majority of South Africans to have a free, democratic, no-sexist, non-racial and prosperous South Africa. There is a small, renegade element that wishes to throw our country into chaos and lawlessness. They want to reduce the country into a modern day jungle where only the most ruthless survive.
In the most recent years we have experienced the escalation of attacks and killing of police. Obviously if this state of affairs could go on unchecked our capacity to guarantee South Africans safety and security would be severely compromised.
It is against this background that the Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa convened the National Summit against Police Killings in July 2011. In his address during the Summit the Minister rightly pointed out that: “High levels of murder of police officers affect morale whilst also traumatizing colleagues and families. These deaths lead to uncertainty and feelings of insecurity within the police. In some cases off-duty police officers are known and specifically targeted even when off-duty. We are saying: enough is enough!”
The National Summit went beyond declaring that enough is enough. It emerged with a pledge that characterised the attack and the killing of the police as an “assault on our constitutional democracy and acknowledged that the death and attacks on dedicated members of our police service is a cause of great pain and sorrow to all peace-loving South Africans.”
The National Summit made a further commitment to “participate in finding solutions to address attacks on members of our police service” and to intensify efforts to eradicate such attacks.
Further than the Pledge signed by all stakeholders, the Summit also emerged with a 10-Point Plan to eradicate the attacks and the killings. It was further resolved that all provinces convene their Summits against Police killings to deal with their peculiar circumstances.
Today’s Summit is therefore a fulfilment of one of the National Summit resolutions.
I must point out that Limpopo’s situation is not dire as compared to other provinces. In the province we have by far the lowest rate of attacks and killings. We however haven’t allowed low numbers to lull us into complacency and wait until the attacks and killings get out of control before act.
Our view is that one attack or killing of a police officer is one attack too many. Hence our moving into action to deal with this problem before it gets out of control.
We have listened to stakeholders such as business, labour, academics, researchers, traditional healers and leaders, and the faith-based formations and are confident that working together we can roll back the attacks and killing of the police.
The government of Limpopo is committed to providing all the necessary support and guidance to the police service in our relentless fight against crime in the province. In the same way that we defeated apartheid, we will bring the monster of crime to its knees. All that we need is to work together.
Working Together We Can Do More to Defeat Crime!
