Ratshivhanda Ndou on the occasion of Police Service Delivery Excellence Awards,
Bolivia Lodge
20 April 2007
Our Programme directors
Honourable members of the legislature
Mayor, councillors and managers of municipalities
Chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security
Head of Departments and senior members in our administration
Provincial Commissioner Sengani, commissioners from other provinces
Station Commissioners and members of South African Police Services (SAPS)
Representatives of the legal fraternity, academics and business
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle
Esteemed Traditional Leaders here present
Leaders of religious organisations and churches
Provincial Community Policing Forum (CPF) board members
Regional General Manager of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and
station managers
The media
Respective sponsors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentleman
Let me start by saying from the onset that today is not the day of speeches.
We have gathered here today to join in the celebration with those stations and
individual police officers who have excelled in their different categories in
the performance of their duty. The Police Service Delivery Excellence Awards
are aimed at encouraging the South African police to improve service delivery
and recognise those police stations and individuals who have shown exceptional
commitment to their work. I want to take this opportunity to inform stations
that did not win, that this does not mean that they are under performing. What
it means is that you must do better next time, than the six best stations that
won prizes today. You must feel challenged and remember that there is next
time. Next year we want to see new faces.
Programme Director,
Today our society is faced with a different type of an enemy which is crime.
This monster is violating the dignity of our people including women and
children. As a country and as a province we are again called upon to work
together and combine our resources to fight this enemy amongst us. The success
of crime eradication is on our shoulders as members of various communities.
Programme Director,
Last year I managed to visit some of the competing stations and I am not the
least surprised to see them nominated here today as possible winners. Although
I must hasten to admit that the conditions under which some of the stations and
individual police officers work is still a challenge that we must urgently
address.
Programme Director,
It is encouraging to note that despite the challenges I have alluded to, our
province did exceptionally well in the reduction of crime. Credit must go to
all man and women who has shown commitment in the reduction of crime in the
country as a whole and the province in particular. As a department I want to
inform you that your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Commissioner Sengani,
South African Police Service (SAPS) management and SAPS members I want to take
this opportunity to thank you in a very special way in your endeavour to make
our province safe and secured.
Programme Director,
I must also mention that some of these achievements came about as a result
of community involvement in crime prevention activities. To the station
commissioners present here today, I want to urge you to consistently work with
the various role players to fight crime. I want to appeal also to our police
officers to work hand in hand with traditional leaders, religious formations,
natural leaders and all other stakeholders in your areas of jurisdiction.
It is our responsibility to encourage our people to take ownership of the
police service and to make our communities understand that your service is
their weapon with which to fight crime. Now is the time to motivate our people
to develop a culture that is intolerant to crime. We must work towards making
Limpopo a model province that must be the envy of other provinces in so far as
safety is concerned.
Programme Director,
I want to appeal to the media, especially electronic media that has huge
listenership throughout the province, to be actively involved in educating our
people on crime prevention issues and to motivate them to take a decisive
action in this noble fight. We must spread the good news about crime reduction
and by so doing narrowing the gap between negative perception and positive
reality.
Let the best man win.
Ndaa
Issued by: Department of Safety, Security and Liaison, Limpopo Provincial
Government
20 April 2007
