Speaker,
Honourable Deputy President, Mr KP Motlanthe,
Minister of Police, Mr EN Mthethwa,
All Ministers and Deputy Ministers present,
Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ms A Van Wyk,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
All MECs present,
National Commissioner of Police, General Phiyega,
All SAPS Top Management,
Acting Executive Director of the IPID, Ms Kuki Mbeki,
Chairperson of PSIRA, Mr. Bopela,
All SAPS Officers present,
Traditional leadership and Civil Society present here,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
We are almost at the end of a very remarkable yet consuming second decade of post-apartheid, both as country and as the South African Police Service (SAPS). And, it is time for this ANC-led Government to take stock of how far we have gone in achieving the national agenda of improving the quality of life for all South Africans, especially the historically disadvantaged communities of South Africa.
Speaker,
It is not only about taking stock of progress; we are equally identifying our challenges and shortcomings as the Department of Police, collectively. Most probably, the blatant challenge of all that we are facing as the South African nation, is the high level of substance and alcohol abuse, rape, sexual abuse, violent crime against the most vulnerable of our society: children, women, the elderly and the disabled.
And, indeed that challenge informs our shortcomings as a nation.
Speaker,
Contrary to the saying that, when all has failed, government becomes a last-line of defence for any societal challenge including that fighting and preventing crime; we are saying as the Police Leadership, the community must become the alpha and omega of this defence line for the most vulnerable.
For, particularly, the people closest to them commit this crime against our most vulnerable people, and it is difficult to detect and detain the perpetrators as long as the community is distant from the police.
Speaker,
That is why as far back as in 2001, His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, in his then capacity as the Deputy President, observed that:
“The apartheid history of this country left behind a legacy of a serious breakdown of the moral infrastructure of our society. And, the lack of respect for the sanctity of human life, for the next person, private property, disregard of the law of the land, lack of parental control over children, and the general blurring of the lines between right and wrong are continuing to plague our communities. Moral regeneration is not something, which can be left to either Government or religious community alone. We require the participation of all sectors in this campaign against child rape and sexual violence in South Africa”.
Speaker,
The reality then, is that, most of crimes committed in South Africa, are crimes arising out of factors over which the police have little or no control of whatsoever. Factors, which stimulate crime, such as poverty, unemployment; gender-inequality, and decline in the standards of morality or moral fibre, have nothing to do with the core mandate of police per se.
This means, a broader notion of safety and security must be sought: a security that is not solely defined in policing terms; but a security of the most vulnerable that is defined in human terms.
Speaker,
Indeed, all our departmental initiatives and programmes to combat and prevent crime point to this direction of humanizing crime combating and prevention. And this approach is not far-fetched from the founding policy document of the ruling party, “Ready to Govern”.
From the onset, the first democratic elected Government founded its policy of safety and security on one basic principle: a national security that acknowledges political, economic, social and environmental dimensions. It resolved:
“Underdevelopment, poverty, lack of democratic participation and the abuse of human rights are regarded as grave threats to the security of the people”.
Speaker,
Our departmental programmes as the SAPS, are thus geared to national security that is building a nation, and that is coherent, cohesive and coordinated towards a better life for all. The Department of Police is therefore, zealously active in all the relevant Inter-Ministerial Committees, especially the IMCs on Substance Abuse & Alcohol, and Causes of Gender-Based Violence, both led by the Department of Social Development.
Speaker,
In the IMC on Root Causes of Gender-Based Violence, the South African Police Service is providing specialized services in prevention, protection, response, care and support through the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit National Management.
The FCS Unit prioritizes rape cases, and already for the financial year 2012/2013, a total of 499 life sentences have been given to these heartless criminals. We must however emphasize that, as the Department of Police, we are no longer interested to satisfy quantity or volume-based arrests of child rapists, molesters, exploiters and murderers.
We are focused at efficient investigations, which include improved accurate statement taking of these cases; and impactful convictions, which involve prolonged sentences of these heinous criminals. Also, the SAPS is providing support to the Department of Social Department for the establishment of a National Command/Response Centre to allow for effective national monitoring, coordination and intervention in cases.
Speaker,
As the Department of Police, we are aware that, one of the most important spheres to work with to curb child abuse and any other youth-related crimes, is the school environment. Since educators spend a great deal of time with abused children who are their learners, it becomes important that educators know how to manage these children in the school yard and in the classroom.
In this instance, the Minister of Police and the Minister of Basic Education signed a Protocol Implementation Agreement last year April 2011, to partner for the promotion of safer schools and to prevent the involvement of young people in crime.
Speaker,
Already, out of 25 474 schools, 16810 have been linked to police stations with functional Safe School Committees since the protocol came into effect. The two Ministers, Minister of Police and Minister of Basic Education, have now delegated their respective Deputy Ministers to formally launch this Protocol.
The launch will sensitize parents and to inform schools, media and all other parties with a vested interest in school safety to know about the programmes. It will also highlight the responsibility of both SAPS and Basic Education in promoting an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching.
Speaker,
We are partnering and collaborating with the Department of Home Affairs and Film and Publication Board by facilitating the reporting of child pornography cases for investigation.
The SAPS is also actively collaborating with the Department of Social Development and the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) through the Safe Schools Programme to address drugs, crime and violence in primary and secondary schools. SAPS Schools Based Crime Prevention Coordinators visit schools and facilitate awareness raising on the negative impact of drugs and gangsterism.
In my own Constituency in Free State, under the leadership of the Premier, Mr. Ace Magashule, we have recently launched a Free State Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy that calls for a multi-agency approach in addressing crime.
During this launch, I had an opportunity to engage with youngsters who are addicted to drugs. It is sad to inform you though, that two of these youngsters are already dead, due to mob justice/vigilantism.
Our Festive Season Operations for the F/Y 2012/2013 have indicated a trend of high number of arrests against drug and alcohol related crimes, with the Western Cape registering the most affected at 3511 arrests.
Speaker,
It is clear then that the visit by the President to Eldorado Park, was spot on, drug related crimes are on the increase. The biggest increase on ready docket rate was recorded at 17.01% increase.
As the department, we are thus hopeful that these integrated programmes with the Department of Social Development and the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA), will begin to educate parents on how to spot the signs of drug addiction and gang association, so that they are able to recognize if their child is involved in drugs and with gangs, and be able to seek appropriate intervention.
With these programmes, we are constantly reminding parents/family members and educators that they are unwittingly “front-line officers” in identifying children/youth who could potentially pose a risk to the peace and order of our communities. They are indeed the alpha and omega of the defence line.
Speaker,
Only three days ago, a 14 year-old youth who has since been suspected of being under a certain influence, almost wiped out his entire family. With the help of the community, this young suspect was immediately arrested, after killing his mother, grandmother and two siblings.
The SAPS Leadership indeed welcomes this working together with the police to apprehend the suspect of this shocking crime. We also hope that this partnership, will also conscientise the community of the extreme conditions the police work under.
Speaker,
Let us all imagine the psychological condition of those police officers that were the first ones to respond to the crime scene of a hacked family. Let us all take home a fact that, the work of a police officer is often traumatic, dangerous and exhausting, as a result of being part of, or witnessing a traumatic act such as murder, rape, brutal assault or remnants of a brutal and unspeakable violent murder.
It is with this reason that as SAPS Management, we are not only seeking to improve and provide the working environment and the general health and wellness of the police officer. The Department is busy reviewing a policy that will make trauma counseling, compulsory for all police officers. At the moment, it is voluntary.
Speaker,
In the meantime, we are continuing pleading and encouraging our police officers to demystify the myth that “men do not cry”. We are pleading with you to use the resources that have been provided by SAPS Employee Health and Wellness, which has Psychological Services, Spiritual Services, Social Work Services and Quality of Work Life Management.
There is a Pyscho-Social Network of external providers that offers psychosocial interventions to employees of SAPS and their immediate families. There is also a 24-hour call centre service (0860103055), providing a one-to-one telephone counselling and individual trauma debriefing. A call centre staff is also available to attend walk-in cases.
We are also pleased to announce that, the promise made by the President way back on 5th September 2011 at the Police National Commemoration Day, that a SAPS Educational Trust Fund will be established to ensure that the families of those members who died on duty, especially their children’s educational needs, is yielding good progress.
The SAPS Education Trust Operating Structure is now in place, and the verification of database of deserving beneficiaries has been done. The SAPS Education Trust will be officially launched on 25 July 2013 as part of the Mandela Month Activities. As the SAPS Leadership, we want to ensure that the dependents of these fallen heroes do no go destitute.
Speaker,
We have a duty as the Ministry of Police to ensure that the quality of life of all our members is improved equally: whether active, retired or deceased. In this case, we are still continuing with realizing the project that I announced at our last year’s Budget Vote.
We are on course to establish a SAPS Non-Statutory Forces (NSF) Project Task Team with the support of the SANDF Integration Project Office, to fast track the implementation of promotion; full recognition of service; pension and privileges; leave days and skills development of these former NSF members integrated within the SAPS.
Coupled with this SAPS NSF Project, is the intake of 1586 SAPS Reservists who were trained during the last financial year 2012/2013, and permanently employed as security guards. A further 570 intake is planned for this Financial Year 2013/2014 to address the outstanding security needs of the SAPS.
Speaker,
There are high hopes to link the successful implementation of the above two programs with the SAPS Centenary Celebrations. Policing in South Africa has reached a milestone of 100 years of existence just last month. The SAPS Centenary celebrations will also serve as means to recognise contributions made by the police officers in the fight against criminality in our country within the democratic dispensation.
Speaker,
One of the visible achievement made by SAPS since the advent of democracy is its recruitment, training methods, and development programmes targeting women. As a department, we made sure that we participate in the National Equity Component that was established in 1996, so as to ensure for the promotion of equal employment opportunities and ensuring optimal functioning of women in the SAPS.
In 1995, the SAPS had only 11 260 female police officers. In 2005, this number increased to 17 945. Currently, we have more than 20 000 female police officers. Gone are those days where women were only recruited to do administration work in charge offices and as radio operators. Today SAPS employs women in the same capacity as men.
Speaker,
It is befitting then that the South African Police Service has won the bid with the full backing of our government, to host the 51st International Association of Women Police (IAWP) Conference to be held on 22nd – 26th September 2013 in Durban, a first of its kind for Africa.
Since becoming a member of IAWP in 2010, the SAPS have been actively taking part in IAWP programmes of uniting and raising the profile of Women in Criminal Justice and International Police Agencies.
At the 50th IAWP Conference last year, I led the SAPS delegation to sign the MoU for the Conference. Under the leadership of our National Commissioner of Police, preparations are in advance stages.
The Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCOO) has also committed its support and cooperation in this 51st IAWP Conference. All Members of Parliament, especially those are within the JCPS Cluster, are encouraged to take note of these dates and to attend.
Speaker,
In conclusion, we want to emphasize that, as the SAPS Leadership, our Department will continue to innovate for programmes that are integrated and coordinated with other Government Departments and core stakeholders in our communities.
We will continue to acknowledge that Police cannot be seen as operating within a vacuum as if there is no other structures that make up our society; structures that do have a major impact on how a person ends up: perpetrator of crime of a law-abiding citizen.
Thus, we will continue to innovate our approaches in fighting and preventing crime by always reviewing what is no longer working for our people’s development and well-being.
I thank you all!
