cluster by Charles Nqakula, Minister for Safety and Security
27 September 2006
Crime Prevention and Combating
Crime reduction
The reduction of serious and violent crime by 7-10 % annually with a review
in the pipeline in 2009 continues to be the focus of the Justice Crime
Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster of Cabinet. Our crime prevention and
combating tactics are informed by that strategic goal.
There were various operations from the middle of June to the end of July
where the focus was on contact crimes. A total of 5 956 firearms were recovered
during that period as part of an on-going project to reduce the circulation of
illegal firearms in South Africa. We also destroyed 23 482 of the firearms we
collected.
Organised Crime Syndicates
Particular attention is being paid to organised crime. Between June and July
more than 15 syndicate leaders and 51 runners were arrested.
Border Control and Security
The Department of Defence (DOD) schedule for the closure of Commando
(Territorial Reserves) Units across the country is well under way and will be
completed by April 2009. The Department of Defence and the South African Police
Service have been working closely to ensure that security in the handover
process is not compromised.
The co-operation between the two departments has ensured a smooth handover
of borderline control from Defence to SAPS. The current focus is on the South
Africa/Lesotho border. SAPS members have been deployed at the borders between
Limpopo and Zimbabwe, Northern Cape and Namibia/Botswana, North West and
Botswana, Free State and Lesotho, Eastern Cape and Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal
and Lesotho.
The Border Control Co-ordinating Committee (BCOCC), working together with
the Department of Public Works, is working within schedule to complete the
construction and upgrading of ports of entry. The project includes the
installation of modern technology with improved satellite and electronic
surveillance systems.
Reduction of Overcrowding in Correctional Centres
The National Overcrowding Task Team (NOTT) is accelerating its work to
complete their planning programme to for new measures to reduce overcrowding at
the country's Correctional Centres. The plans will be submitted to the JCPS for
implementation.
The team is already making interventions that include the marketing of the
concept of non-custodial sentencing for those who pose little or no serious
danger to society. More than 2 295 offenders who fall into that category have
been released to date with more releases envisaged soon.
Transformation of the Judiciary
A draft Legal Services Charter has been published for comment, following the
holding of a strategy session, the Legal Services Charter Indaba, in August.
The session was part of the consultative process with key stakeholders on the
matter of transforming the judiciary. Public comment and a revised charter will
be published early next year.
The final policy document on the transformation as envisaged in the draft
White Paper will be submitted to cabinet in late October and will be published
thereafter for public comment.
Tabling of SAPS Annual Report
The South African Police Service report we tabled in parliament today
reviews the work of the police during the 2005/2006 Financial Year.
Comprehensive crime statistics also form part of the South African Police
Service's annual report. Crime statistics are used by the police to determine
crime patterns, hotspots, and for operational planning. Information on crime at
the local level is available at all police stations and available to Community
Police Forums to assist community involvement in policing initiatives.
Given that the annual report covers the period up to the end of March this
year, it does not make reference to the period from April 1 to August 31. I do
wish to indicate, though, that there was a spike in crime over the period
April-May-June, especially in Gauteng. The detailed statistics that will
provide a breakdown for that period will be published next year.
The on-going restructuring in the Police Service has also taken into
consideration the matter of statistics. What we will do next year is that the
statistics will be published soon after the end of the financial year and will
be separated from the SAPS annual report. The necessary resources for that to
be achieved have been put in place as part of the restructuring process.
All eight contact crimes decreased during the last financial year, with four
of the eight categories showing significant decreases. Common Robbery decreased
by 18,3%, Attempted Murder by 16,6%, Common Assault by 15,6% and Serious and
Violent Assault by 9,6%.
We are satisfied in those categories the target set by Government of
reducing Serious and Violent Crimes was achieved. The decrease by 6,2% of
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances is also encouraging and is an
improvement on the previous year's decrease of 5,5%.
Although Murder decreased by 2,0%, Rape by 1,0% and Indecent Assault by
3,7%, those contact crimes remain a cause for concern. Over the past eleven
years there has been an overall downward trend in the murder rate. We are
unhappy, though, that the decreases have not been as dramatic as the case is
regarding the other crime types.
Despite the changes for the better, there are challenges that still remain
in other categories of crime prevention and combating programmes. Alcohol and
drug abuse continue to be a problem as generators of crime. Drug-related crimes
have increased by 13,2% while instances of driving under the influence of
alcohol or drugs shot up by 9,9%.
Current Environment
Since the middle of July the focus of the police has been on serious and
violent crimes including murder, robbery and rape. The strategy was followed by
increased police visibility where cordon-and-search operations as well as
roadblocks were mounted.
In the two months between .July 15 and September 15, 384 suspects were
apprehended in connection with 687 cases that the police were investigating.
Using modern technology we were able to trace 154 suspects on the basis of
fingerprints we collected from crime scenes covering 136 cases. Those suspects
will faces charges relating to murder, attempted murder, rape, hijacking and
armed robbery.
Using the same technology the police were able to arrest 85 suspects who are
repeat offenders linked to three or more crime scenes. They will be charged in
connection with 400 cases.
The National Commissioner circulated to the various provinces lists of
suspects against whom warrants of arrest had been issued. A total of 80
suspects have been arrested to be tried in 80 cases. An additional 65 wanted
suspects who are repeat offenders were arrested for three or more other crimes
to appear in 71 cases.
There are, in a nutshell, 234 suspects who will be charged in 216 cases for
serious and violent crimes. Repeat offenders who were arrested total 150 having
been linked to 471 cases.
As announced in June, the police will continue to pay attention to serious
and violent crimes. At the end of December, an assessment will be done and best
practice cases will be part of further planning to boost policing in South
Africa.
Another meeting was held earlier in September to review national police
operations announced on 7 July 2006 and plans for the period ahead. Police
management provided progress reports regarding investigations into crimes such
as cash-in-transit heist, bank robberies, and robberies on business premises,
house robberies and rape.
The Ministers and MEC's were encouraged by the steady advances the SAPS were
making in solving crime and arresting suspects wanted in connection with
aforementioned crimes. (See SAPS media statement)
The increased effectiveness of investigations can be ascribed to the better
utilisation of technology by the SAPS Forensic Science laboratory, which uses
the recently acquired automated Genetic Sample Processing System (GSPS). The
new system can load on a daily basis 800 samples. The Integrated Ballistics
Identification System (IBIS) has also been improved better to solve firearm
related cases.
Partnerships
The principle of partnerships in the fight against crime was taken a step
further on 25 August, at President Thabo Mbeki's Big Business Working Group
meeting. The upshot of that interaction will be a meeting soon between
representatives of the entire business sector in South Africa and the JCPS
cabinet ministers. Among others, the meeting will discuss how better to fight
crime in a more focused and consolidated way using the collective will and
wisdom of the nation.
A preparatory meeting involving Business Against Crime, who are co-conveners
with the JCPS cluster of the projected meeting with the broader business sector
took place on 18 September.
The JCPS cluster is also currently laying the basis within government for an
anti�crime campaign which aims to mobilise the support of all South Africans to
play a role in the fight against crime. This campaign when it is subsequently
endorsed by all stakeholders will be mass-based and will include business,
organs of civil society, trade unions, political parties and the media.
Current Challenges
Crimes against women and children continue to be a source for deep concern.
Those types of crime, especially rape and indecent assault, show slight
increases. When there have been decreases in the past, they were very marginal.
The light at the end of the tunnel though, is the encouraging response from
victims who are coming forward to report such crimes.
Government's campaigns like the 16 Days of No Violenc Against Women and
Children, where the SAPS Women Network has played a key role, have helped to
convince victims and other law-abiding people to report such crimes to the law
enforcement agencies for the investigation and arrest of offenders.
The challenge of HIV and AIDS in the Correctional Detention Centres has seen
an increase of 25% -- from 200 a year in the past to 800. The accreditation
last week of Durban Westville Correctional Centre raised to four the number of
centres that manage the ARV treatment regime.
Issued by: South African Police Service
27 September 2006
