The South African Police Service (SAPS) top management appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Police for annual report hearings for two consecutive days on Programme 1 Administration, and Programme 2 Visible Policing.
The SAPS received an unqualified audit opinion from the Auditor General for the financial year 2010/2011. SAPS was further commended by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ms Cindy Chikunga on the work well done in ensuring that the people of South Africa are and feel safe, especially the ever decreasing trend in crime statistics, bringing down priority crimes significantly in all nine provinces.
The reduction in crime statistics talks to the core business of fighting crime on which the SAPS is recording significant decrease thus making an impact towards making our communities safer.
Meanwhile the financial statements and performance thereof was presented in detail together with significant achievements of targets within Programme: Administration and Visible Policing. A number of questions were raised by members of the Portfolio Committee in relation to administration, management of funds, service delivery and accountability. SAPS management provided responses accordingly indicating interventions towards the achievement of targets.
The spending priorities were mainly directed to increased police personnel, skills development, increased stipend for new enlistments, enhanced technology, physical infrastructure, establishment of Tactical Response Teams and 2010 FIFA World Cup deployment for Programme Administration. Visible Policing spending priorities were mainly, crime prevention, borderline security, specialised interventions and world cup policing.
The oversight committee however raised serious concerns on some of the expenditure patterns and irregular expenditure during financial year 2010/11 for Programme Administration. However, these financials did not necessarily interpret to any form of qualification as they only related to some of the internal measures and controls that need to be enhanced.
In addressing this, the department is implementing new measures and remedial action in the current financial year already. Escapes in police custody, management of SAP13 stores, police station management and sector policing were some of the concerns raised by the oversight committee during the interactive session with the SAPS.
Actual performance against targets was achieved significantly by the respective divisions within the SAPS as per the priorities detailed in the Strategic Plan 2010/14 and Annual Performance Plan 2011/11. The SAPS management welcomes positive commendations and constructive robust debates in parliament in the interest of service delivery.
SAPS remain a developing organisation, which strives to improve and grow in its developmental agenda within the core mandate of fighting crime.
Media contact:
Major General Nonkululeko Mbatha
Cell: 083 645 6252
E-mail: mediacentre@saps.org.za
South African Police Service get unqualified report from Auditor General
