Our host and North West Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Mbombo,
Former North West Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Beetha,
Lt-Gen Mawela, Divisional Commissioner for Operational Response Services Lt-Gen Masemola,
Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Province Lt-Gen Mpembe
Provincial Commissioner of Free State Province Deputy Provincial Commissioners,
SAPS Senior Commanders,
Members on Parade Magosi a rona,
Senior Government Representatives of organised labour,
Community Policing Forums and other Partners Representatives of our sponsors,
Edcon Family members and the community at large,
Greetings to you all.
I am most pleased to be here today at this auspicious occasion aimed at recognising policing in the North West. On behalf of the South African Police Service (SAPS) management we salute all the men and women in blue, particularly those who received medals, for their dedication and the hard work that they put into carrying out their duties as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa and the SAPS code of conduct.
It is our aim as management to recognize the achievements, the efforts, and enthusiasm of employees within this organisation. We must continually find ways of improving employee morale and encouraging employee recognition.
In all our daily efforts, we work to create a better South Africa. The SAPS has a fundamental role to play if we are to realize a better South Africa. In fact, there can be no better South Africa without a properly functioning police organisation.
The police service plays a vital role in the maintenance of law and order in society. The service should be a source of moral strength, confidence and happiness to all law abiding citizens.
As we are gathered here today, we are reminded that nothing stops a person who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscles. What drives this person is the need to accomplish. It is time for us all to cheer the doer, the achiever, the one who understood that he who gives up is defeated but he who perseveres and stays the course become victorious.
I have received the sword back from the former Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Beetha, who served more than 35 years in the police. I handed over the same sword to the current Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Mbombo. I want us to understand why I took the decision to go through this symbolic gesture after such a long time. This is a very important tradition.
The sword represents command. So by handing the sword to General Mbombo, we are ceremoniously handing over command of the province. I have taken a decision, as we rebuild the SAPS, that we should celebrate some of these traditions. I want us to go back to the basics. Lieutenant General Mbombo, the sword I handed to you demands that:
You continue to be the leader, a leader is someone who sees the job at hand and does something about it. It is someone who is willing to stand up, look everyone in the eye, and say 'I'll make it happen.'
It is also a special day for Colonel Dominie. It is his last day in the office today. He has been in the police for over 40 years. He received this rare medal today. We thank him for many years of service and wish him well.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that we need more dedicated selfless members who are prepared to go beyond the call of duty. This is what will make SAPS a formidable organization. To achieve that it begins with us, with our attitude.
Ke itumetse thata fa re kgonne go tla mo Province ya North West; go tla go tsaya karolo mo letsatsing le le botlhokwa mo Sephodiseng. Ke nako ke batla go tla mo North West province go tla go fa kemo nokeng. Province eno e tshwaragane le mathata a le mantsi. Re tshwanetse go dira ka thata mo North West province gore re tle re busetse serodumo sa Sephosisa ko se kileng sa ba teng.
Ba ba nang le nako e ntsi ba direla sephodisa, ba tla dumelana le nna fa kere go kile ga nna nako e engwe mo setshaba se neng se tlotla maphodisa. Maphodisa le one a ne a itlotla. Maphodisa a ne a tlotla molao wa naga.
You saw how well-organised and disciplined you looked during parade; you all look good in your uniform. I think due to the following three primary factors, issues such a discipline started to become less and less important:
#Integration was somewhat stalled;
#Efforts to build a common culture was reduced; # Readiness to police in a democratic dispensation and related complications.
Ladies and gentlemen, discipline is core to what we do.
In my first year, I spoke a lot about discipline. I spoke a lot about integrity. I spoke about the measures that we are going to introduce to ensure that members comply with our code of conduct, with our prescripts, our standing orders, our instructions and directives. I have shifted gear, I am no longer talking. I am implementing!
Re ilo go sebetsa ka natla gore sechaba se bolokege. Ditsotsi tsona, le barukhuhli ba tshwanetse go tshaba maphodisa thata-thata fela. Baagi ga ba tshwanela go tshaba maphodisa ka gonne maphodisa le baagi ba tshwanetse go dirisana mmogo go lwantsha bosinyi. For both the police and the communities, crime is number one enemy and we should jointly fight it.
I specifically asked the Provincial Commissioner to host this significant parade here in the town of Mahikeng because of the many challenges that we all have observed. Police stations such as Mahikeng and Lomanyaneng have caught the nation's attention for all the wrong reasons. That has to end.
In an attempt to address these problems, the Provincial Commissioner has come up with Imvuselelo Project. It is aimed at boosting the morale of police members as well as improving service delivery to the public.
I urge the Cluster Commander of Mahikeng, Brigadier Matlala and your Lomanyaneng Station Commander Lieutenant Colonel Dube, and Mahikeng Station Commander Brigadier Modise, to use today's occasion as a foundation you can build on to improve the stations under your command for the better.
Just as we take time and make the effort praise our members, I ask you as managers not to be afraid to take disciplinary action against those members who do no conduct themselves in a manner befitting a police officer. In this regard, I assure you of my support and that of the entire leadership team.
I spoke earlier about some of our traditions. Lt-Gen Mbombo, Lt-Gen Mpembe and Lt-Gen Masemola to effect some of these traditional good policing practices immediately, I want us to ensure that during every shift-change, morning and evening, inspection parades are held at all our police stations countrywide.
Members must arrive at work 15 minutes before their tour of duty begins and they must fall on parade for commanders to ensure that members are properly briefed, properly clad, properly equipped and are of a sound and sober mind before their tour of duty and their pocket books up to date. The same should apply at the end of their shifts. I want to receive a monthly report in this regard.
Let me conclude by saying that today we as the SAPS management are here to show appreciation for hard work, many years of service and excellence. Hearty congratulations to all the recipients.
Whether you are in the operational, support or management category, you have contributed so significantly to improving law enforcement in your Province that your commanders have recognized your efforts and put your name forward for an award. Let us be proud of being officers of the law and perform our tasks to the best of our abilities.
We must paint our own rainbow, but as we do so we must expect a few thunderstorms. We should appreciate the thunderstorms as they ultimately bring rain. Let that flash of enthusiasm ignite the flame of hope and the burning desire within us to make this country work better.
As police we are required to constantly look at our self and ask questions, who are we, what are we about, where do we come from, where are we going? Things must change and we must respond positively to those changes. Ladies and gentleman life is tough out there yet we can achieve, by working hard we develop the ability to do more.
SAPS e ya sebeletswa!
Ke a leboga.
