Gauteng Provincial Government Quarterly media briefings - Gauteng Community Safety media statement by MEC F Cachalia

Reducing violent crime in Gauteng remains a key priority of the Gauteng Provincial Government. In particular, we are concerned with addressing the high levels of residential and business robberies in our province. The Department of Community Safety together with the South African Police Services (SAPS) have developed and are busy implementing the Gauteng Aggravated Robbery strategy (GARS) as a means of combating armed robberies of residences, businesses and vehicles (commonly referred to as the 'Trio Crimes.')

The Gauteng Aggravated Robbery Strategy 
The GARS was developed following research on the nature of armed robbery and best practices in reducing this type of crime internationally. This multifaceted strategy involves different key role players working together to achieve two main objectives:
* Identifying, tracing, arresting and effectively prosecuting as many perpetrators as possible.
* Closing the space for perpetrators to operate in Gauteng

To achieve these objectives, the strategy consists of the following key elements:

* The Crime Management Centre (CMC) is the strategic hub of the strategy. Its focus is on profiling networks of perpetrators, identifying repeat offenders and providing operational and technical support to the detectives attached to dedicated tracing and investigation task teams.

* Crack Trio Task Teams
The 130 police stations in the province have been grouped into 21 SAPS clusters. A dedicated Crack Trio Task Team has been established at each cluster to focus on gathering evidence against perpetrators of aggravated robberies to ensure that they are traced, arrested and brought before the courts. By the beginning of November 2008, these Task Teams had arrested 1 333 'Trio Crime' suspects. An example of the work of these task teams can be seen in the arrest of five armed robbers in Actonville on 6 August 2008. They had been linked to several armed robberies of businesses and post offices in the greater Actonville and Benoni area. The MEC has been visiting the cluster task teams to provide moral support.

* Multi-Agency Partnerships (Private Security Companies)
This element focuses on promoting partnerships between the SAPS and the Private Security Companies to ensure better cooperation and coordination in various policing precincts. The Department therefore supports the pilot project being implemented by Business Against Crime (BAC) at the Honeydew police station.

* Tackling Stolen Goods
Through enhanced crime intelligence and analysis the SAPS are endeavouring to identify the syndicates that buy and sell goods stolen in aggravated robberies. The objective is to arrest and prosecute those involved so as to make it more difficult for perpetrators of aggravated robberies to sell whatever they have stolen.

* Improving police reaction times
This component of the strategy is aimed at promoting improvements in police response time to emergency 10111 calls across the province. The centre is in the process of recruiting additional staff and increasing the skills levels of the existing call and dispatch operators. For example, during the month of August the North Rand Flying Squad which is attached to the 10111 centre made 106 arrests of suspects involved in crimes including murder, armed robbery, hijacking and housebreaking. In addition, the centre has implemented 'Project Reaction Time' to assist police stations in improving their responses to 10111 emergency dispatches.

* Deployment of strategic Road Blocks
Using regular and daily analysis of emerging aggravated robbery hotspots, the SAPS in partnership with the Gauteng Traffic Police and the Metropolitan Police Departments are holding strategically placed road blocks. These are aimed at arresting and disrupting perpetrators as the move around the province. For example, on 17 July ten suspected gang members operating in the South of Johannesburg were arrested by the Gauteng Traffic Police at one of these roadblocks.

* Co-ordination of the Criminal Justice System
This element of the strategy is to ensure that there are significant improvements in the successful prosecutions of perpetrators of violent robberies and their support networks. The Deputy Minister of Justice Jonny De Lange has adopted this strategy as part of the Criminal Justice Review that is presently being undertaken to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system as a whole. The National Prosecuting Authority have dedicated experienced prosecutors to work closely with detectives to ensure that once arrested, perpetrators are denied bail and effectively prosecuted so that long jail sentences are handed down by the courts.

The strategy started to be implemented on 1 July 2008 and is being monitored by a joint steering committee chaired by the SAPS Provincial Commissioner and the Head of the Department of Community Safety. The roll-out of the strategy started at the 30 policing precincts that recorded the highest levels of the 'Trio Crimes' in Gauteng. At this point the 'Trio Crimes' were increasing at 70% of these precincts. By October 2008, 57% of these precincts had started to record a decrease in 'Trio Crimes.'

Although this is an encouraging sign, it is still too early to claim that the strategy has been successful. Residential and business robberies continue to remain a fundamental challenge across Gauteng. The sustainable reduction of crime will ultimately rely on consistently improving the quality of the police on one hand, while on the other addressing the structural challenges in the criminal justice system as a whole.

Ongoing Implementation of the Gauteng Safety Strategy through the 'Take Charge Campaign'

* Community Police Forums (CPFs)
The department has entered into an agreement with the University of Pretoria to offer the 'Supervisory Skills Course' to the CPF leadership structures. In this financial year more than 200 CPF executive members will receive this training. In addition steps are being taken to restructure the Provincial CPF Board so as to strengthen CPFs at the local level.

* Community Safety Plans (CSPs)
CSPs are aimed at identifying safety and security needs in local communities and developing plan towards addressing the safety challenges. They are part of the fight against crime in the province under the auspices of the Take Charge Campaign. This year alone, the department has assisted communities in more than nine areas to develop and launch their CSPs.

* Community Patroller Programme
The community patroller project, a volunteer initiative, is an integral part of including community members in the fight against crime in the province. Formed in 2006 these patroller groups are properly trained and equipped and are accountable to CPF structures which are legislated bodies. A thorough evaluation will be undertaken in due course, but indications are that these patroller groups are playing an important role in improving levels of safety in the areas where they are deployed. Each patroller registered with the Department of Community Safety has a R75 000 death and permanent disability cover.

Currently the programme consists of more than 3 346 volunteers patrolling 26 different communities in support of the police. An additional R10 million has been earmarked to recruit a further 2000 patrollers.

* Taxi violence
We continue to monitor and respond to taxi violence throughout Gauteng through the Strategic Safety Forum which convened by the Head of the Department of Community Safety.

Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
Date: 12 November 2008
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za/)

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