Acting National SAPS Commissioner, Lt Gen Phahlane in absentia
Provincial Commissioner Lt General Shivuri and the Collective of SAPS Management Nationally and Provincially
Executive Mayor of ZF Mgcawu District, Mr Vosloo
The Head of the Department and senior officials;
Stakeholders in the Law Enforcement and Safety fraternity;
Religious and Community leaders;
Representatives of Political parties;
Representatives from Labour Unions;
Representatives from various media houses;
Government Officials;
Distinguished guests;
Our people living in and around Keimoes;
Ladies and gentlemen
It is truly an august occasion to be addressing the official launch of the Keimoes Police Station. This is a celebratory moment as government continuously works to ensure service delivery reaches all corners of this Province and country, including our remote areas where our people live.
This opening is not only a significant milestone for the people of Keimoes who will receive quality services and effective law enforcement but also a great moment for the people`s government to be able to bring yet more access to its services. Keimoes is equipped with schools, clinics and now a state of the art police station with modern facilities which will be strengthened by a selfless service from servants of the people to save and protect them.
I hope the people of the Kai !Garib Municipality will take pride in this facility, protect it and use it effectively. I must also emphasise that the police have a responsibility to deliver effective and excellent services to the people and serve them with dignity and diligence. I am also appealing to all officials to use the resources the state provided here to serve our people and drive the mandate of government of creating safer communities and a crime-free Province and country for all our people.
As the MEC responsible in this regard for the Province, and a Department responsible for overseeing and monitoring the South African Police Service, we will continue to work hand in glove with the police to ensure that the best service delivery reaches our people. However, we will not shy away from our monitoring and oversight role nor giving guidance in terms of corrective measures and better compliance from SAPS in serving our people should a need arise.
Honourable guests, I must highlight that we are keeping our eye on the ball as a Province as Keimoes Police Station was one of our focus areas during 2015/16 because of its high crime rate in the province. With that being said, we will monitor how the station performs this financial year following our recommendations not only to hold them accountable but also to see how we can better improve service delivery together with SAPS and decrease crime in the area.
We are however, confident that with the efforts SAPS is putting in place in the area and our collaborative efforts with communities as a Department, we will change the tide.
The Department is busy rolling out our crime prevention initiatives across the Province including the establishment of a Community Safety Forum in the area in collaboration with the local municipality and other relevant stakeholders.
The Community Safety Forums will help tackle crime by approaching the security challenge from a developmental perspective. This involves bringing together those role-players responsible for criminal justice and services to correctly target and assist in crime prevention.
Ladies and gentlemen, afford me the opportunity to highlight that ensuring safety in communities cannot be the sole responsibility of SAPS alone although they are the main stakeholder in crime prevention but it needs to be a collective effort from us all.
Crime is not unique to Keimoes, the Province or the country but it’s a world-wide challenge that needs collaborative efforts to combat. It is not a dream to have a crime-free society but it is an achievable objective if we all work towards the same vision.
In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to plea with the local community to join hands with the police in the prevention of crime. Communities need to be involved not only in determining policing priorities in their areas, but also in identifying the crime prevention needs as well. Crime levels are affected by a range of economic, social and political factors, addressing the crime prevention needs require a multi-disciplinary, integrated approach. So, in unity, a lot can be achieved and in unison we shall indeed achieve.
Another humble plea is for our communities to report crimes and expose perpetrators because the law is there to protect them.
Finally, no one should live in abusive relationships or feel ashamed to report a rape or any sort of those contact crimes. Remember, it is only by reporting it that something can be done about it. Let us work together with our men and women in blue to root out criminal elements in our communities to create safer communities for all of us to live in based n peace and friendship.
I thank you
