Public Safety, Security and Liaison at the farewell function of the provincial
Commissioner of the South Africa Police Service (SAPS), in Bloemfontein
20 May 2006
* Programme Director,
* Members of the Provincial Executive Council,
* Provincial Commissioner,
* Police managers and members of SAPS,
* Distinguished guests,
* Ladies and gentlemen,
Programme Director,
On 8 May 2006, South Africa was celebrating 10 years of her national
Constitution.
Such a celebration was fully expressive not only of the restoration of the
dignity and respect of the majority of South Africans, but it also called upon
us to re-look at the role of the police service in a democratic State.
Admittedly, the job of policing is one of the most complex and difficult
tasks in any society. In democracies, the authority and disposition of the
police are founded on law yet they retain significant discretion in when and
how to apply the law.
Police are expected to be responsive to public demands for service and
protection, and yet must resist if such demands were to violate the
constitutionally protected rights of individuals.
They are granted a degree of professional autonomy as individuals and
organisations yet they remain accountable to social norms and democratically
elected representatives.
In short the police must balance legitimate yet conflicting values and
rights; demands for effectiveness with protection of individual rights; the
maintenance of public order without unduly restricting freedoms; the need to
threaten or use force without deviating into abuse and guidance by law and
professional expertise simultaneously.
The first area of concern in evaluating democratic policing is whether the
police act in a manner which supports democratic life itself. Democratic
policing requires that police simultaneously stand outside of politics and
protect democratic political processes and activities.
The issues here concern an area of police practice that is foundational to
democracy. Unless police practice conforms to a minimum standard in protecting
democratic political life, democracy itself will be threatened. This is not to
say, however, that police reform may lead to political democracy.
When we delivered the budget vote for the 2006/07 in respect of the
Department of Public Safety, Security and Liaison, we vocalised popular demands
for a transformed police service. It is beyond challenge that we need a police
service that is established on the basis of the following principles:
* it must be an impartial, well trained and competent professional
service
* it must be non-racial and non-sexist in practice and in structure
* it must respect human dignity and uphold and protect human rights
* it must be established on the ethics of public service and not view itself as
the âmastersâ of the public
* policing resources must be fairly distributed to all communities particularly
those which have been neglected under apartheid
* the police must be subjected to an independent complaints and investigation
body to ensure that there is no corruption or bias
* the police must be representative of the community drawing on those talented
individuals who have not enrolled in the police service because of its stigma
and historical role
* above all, the police must be accountable to the people whom they serve.
However, to realise such a national objective we need to have police leaders
of distinction. Although we have known provincial Commissioner Landu for a
relative short period of time, he proved to be a leader whose transformational
abilities were far unquestionable.
A police leader of provincial Commissioner Landuâs calibre leads the charge
and remains up front and central during action. He or she must always be
visible and stand up to be counted rather than hide behind the troops. He or
she must show by his or her attitude and actions how everyone else should
behave.
It is their unwavering commitment as much as anything else that keeps people
going, particularly through the darker times when some may question whether the
vision can ever be achieved.
Provincial Commissioner Landu indeed has always led the charge, remained up
front and visible even during the public disturbances which were allegedly
caused by poor service delivery during his very first months of service in the
Free State.
Women in policing
However, I need to pose a constitutional challenge to whoever will be our
next provincial commissioner: âwhat is the role of women in policing?â
Programme Director,
The role of women in policing must be elevated much more than what it is
today. Women continue to be under-represented in management positions. Barriers
exist that limit the promotion of women into senior positions and contribute to
the âglass ceiling.â
These barriers stem from the traditional masculine culture of work and in
particular the perception that a good manager exhibits masculine
characteristics of aggressiveness, competitiveness and decisiveness.
The situation is further emphasised in strongly male dominated organisations
such as police services.
Considering the importance of diversity at every level not only for
individualsâ upward mobility but also for organisational success, it is
necessary to identify the barriers that impede women in their professional
development.
For example, we must begin to look into the possibility of employing more
women managers even in those components of the police that focus on the
implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, Victim Empowerment Programme and
Charter for the Victims of Crime and others.
Because of their ability to even empathise much effectively with victims of
sexual assault, gender based violence and child abuse, the employment of women
in those sensitive positions would surely have an impact on the decrease of
such heinous crimes.
Conclusion
Let me conclude by remarking that whilst provincial Commissioner Landu will
soon be leaving the Free State, one gains comfort in the knowledge that the
Eastern Cape is going to gain partly from a product of our making.
To those police managers and officers who are remaining in the Free State, I
would like to indicate that leadership is not much about technique and methods
as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration of oneself
and of others.
Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is
not a formula or a programme, it is human activity that comes from the heart
and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.
More than anything else today followers believe they are part of a system, a
process that lacks heart. If there is one thing a leader can do to connect with
followers at a human or better still a spiritual level, it is to become engaged
with them fully, to share experiences and emotions and to set aside the
processes of leadership we have learned by rote.
Thank you
Issued by: Department of Safety, Security and Liaison, Free State Provincial
Government
20 May 2006
Source: Free State Provincial Government (http://www.fs.gov.za/)
