The launch was attended by MEC for Community Safety and Security Willies Mchunu, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Mamunye Ngobeni, Representatives of the Metro Police and the South African Police Service and members of Community Policing Forums.
“During the launch, the association and government signed a Memorandum of Understanding paving the way for fruitful cooperation which will strengthen the fight against all forms of crime.”
“At the beginning of this term of office of this current government, the President of the Republic His Excellency Mr JG Zuma described crime as a top priority for government.”
“It is for this reason that in 2010 the provincial government launched the United Front Against Crime. Our feeling as government at that time was that it is important that we unite the people of this country and begin to move away from the usual attitude of often blaming the police but to refine a multi prong strategy to fight crime.”
“As government we have always stated that focusing on blaming the police tends to conceal the major role that each and every one of us should be playing in crime prevention.”
“This gathering today is a clear demonstration that the people of KwaZulu-Natal want to leave in a free and democratic state where there is no housebreaking, no drug trafficking, no stock theft, not hijackings and no rape of elderly women.”
“Crime occurs in the community and in most cases criminals are our neighbours. They are masterminds who drive flash cars and are respected by some of us.”
“Critically, young people are recruited by these masterminds for house breakings, shoplifting, armed robberies and car hijackings of luxury motor vehicles and trucks which are sold to buyers and car dealerships in other provinces and neighbouring countries.”
“Many desperate young people from tertiary institutions are recruited – given fraudulent, IDs, Payslips and credit cards to hire vehicles from legitimate rental companies and end up not returning them. If not dismantled in chop shops, these vehicles are often sold to other provinces and neighbouring countries.”
“Some of these young skilled young people now work as insurance brokers, transporters and specialised artisans who change chases numbers and other defining features of the vehicle.”
“Instead of using their skills to grow the economy of the country, the desperate and educated young stars are growing businesses of these “Kingpins”. “As government we are also dealing with criminal syndicates who are crippling our hospitals by stealing medication destined for needy patients.”
“Organised syndicates are supplying pharmaceutical companies including government institutions with counterfeit, expired and non-regulated drugs. The syndicates run unregistered clinics and pharmacies and are also involved in exports and imports.”
“Here in KwaZulu-Natal there are bogus doctors, pharmacists and healers who put the lives of vulnerable people at risk.” “The music recording industry, the movie industry and the whole entertainment sector have also been severely affected by counterfeit and cross border crime.”
“Pirated digital DVD and CDs are sold across the province by street vendors and small shop owners. There is a highly organised syndicate which is involved in this racket. A typical network would include producers of the DVDs and CDs in South Africa, smugglers who transport the goods from South Africa to other countries. There are facilitators at the borders posts and suppliers and marketers in destined countries.”
“Live-stock theft is one of the issues that we are also dealing with in this province. There are both small-scale as well as organised, syndicated cross-border networks in operation that target livestock.”
“I have often stated that rural communities already under a huge yoke of poverty often have to bear the brunt of stock theft which wipes away any possible reserves they have as the livestock is part of the economy of rural people. The loss of innocent lives in uMsinga few months ago as a result of livestock theft calls for us to intensify the fight.”
“While we sit here, we must acknowledge these criminal acts are committed by our own children and relatives. If there is violent murder and stolen property, most people in the community know exactly who the first suspicious individuals in the area are. These criminals are a tiny minority but they have created so much fear in our communities such that we all feel hapless and neglected by the police.”
“Police alone cannot deal with criminals unless if there are people in the community who can work with police to make it possible for criminals to commit crime.” “Today I want to appreciate the commitment of all members of the KZN Community Crime Prevention Associations and all members of the Community Policing Forums. We thank you for coming forward to pledge your support to work with government to fight all forms of crime from our communities.”
“I believe that you have an important role to play not only in terms of fighting crime but to promote the culture of the promotion of human rights in the community where we live.”
“Crime results in the deprivation of the rights and dignity of citizens and poses a threat to their rightful participation in the reconstruction and redevelopment of this province. The rights and freedoms, which the constitution entrenches, are threatened every time each citizen becomes a victim of crime.”
“Therefore we need to work together, as partners, to deal with the whole aspect of building the spirituality of all our people in the neighbourhood.” “We must create an environment of peaceful co-existence and acceptance of human beings by one another. We must show compassion, love and always help the next person during difficult times.”
“As we all know, broken families result in a wounded society which breeds young people who can’t initiate serious and decent relationships because they never got into the habit learning and practising Ubuntu.”
“We want to see a prosperous and better South Africa but we forget that this will start with the contribution that we can make where we are as members of the society.” “Crime is fuelled by the nature of life that our people live in and by the nature of the environment within which we conduct our daily activities.”
“I have often stated that some of those who get involved in crime are people who never received any sense of love and warmth when they were brought up. They grew up in an environment where there is alcohol abuse, domestic violence, hatred and a lack of supervision of children.”
