The Honourable Premier, Cassel Mathale
Honourable Speaker
Members of the Legislature
Members of the Executive Council
Chairperson and Members of the Portfolio Committee on
Safety and Security
Heads of Departments, management and staff
The Provincial Commissioner and South African Police Service (SAPS) management Stalwarts and Veterans of our movement
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Revolutionary greetings
Honourable Speaker,
Speaking at a Freedom day celebration, 27 April 1998, President Mandela said, and I quote “When we gathered here on the Grand Parade in February 1990 we knew that our march to freedom was irreversible, that nothing could stop our dream of a free South Africa coming true. The people had opened the prison doors and we knew that it would not be long before we found the way to peace and democracy.”
President Mandela went on to say, “Our freedom is also incomplete as long as we are denied our security by the criminals who prey upon our communities; who rob our businesses and undermine our economy; who ply their destructive trade in drugs in our schools; who do violence against our women and children.”
Honourable Speaker,
As government we have always emphasised that bringing down crime requires a combination of social and economic interventions. It is in this context that we remain convinced that the fight against crime requires a strong partnership between government and communities.
Working together, we can and must do more in the fight against crime.
Our people deserves better. They deserve to live and work in a safe environment of peace and stability. As government, we are committed to the reduction of crime, and particularly violent crime. We are acutely aware of the damage that crime does to our social fabric and psyche, and its impact on all South Africans.
Honourable Speaker, allow me to emphasise this point by repeating after Christopher van Wyk, a writer and an award winning poet, who in his poem The Reason, had this to say:
“The reason why murderers and thieves So easily become statues
are made into monuments is
already their eyes are granite their hearts
are made of stone.”
We must do something now, before our children and grandchildren emulate the ‘murderers and thieves as statues and monuments’.
Crime Prevention
In this regard, we will intensify the implementation of all crime prevention strategies, including local crime prevention plans. We will continue to establish and strengthen Community Safety Forums throughout the province. These forums will assist a great deal in the implementation of a structured multi-agency approach to crime prevention initiatives at local level.
The National Crime Prevention Strategy requires of us to, among others, address crime in a coordinated and focused manner which draws on the resources of all government agencies, as well as civil society. These include the maximisation of civil society's participation in mobilising and sustaining crime prevention initiatives.
We have adopted a paradigm shift in the safety and security cluster with a deliberate move from law enforcement emphasis to crime prevention as part of our contribution to the reduction of crime and in giving effect to our constitutional mandate.
Rural Safety
During this financial year, the implementation of the Rural Safety plan will be intensified. We will work in partnership with all relevant role players, including traditional leaders, traditional healers and other organised formations. We cannot and must not fail during the implementation stage as rural safety is an important feature to the development of this country and in particular the Limpopo province.
It was not by some coincidence, I believe, when President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma identified rural development as one of government’s top priorities in the five years, with Muyexe near Giyani in our province as a pilot project for comprehensive rural development programme.
Last year, we delivered to the people of Muyexe a fully equipped and adequately resourced Satellite Police Station to deal with issues of crime in the area. We are aware that the facility is not big enough to cater for all policing needs. In this context, a spacious facility will be built at Muyexe during this financial year.
Never again shall the people of Muyexe travel long distances to Giyani to report criminal cases and or certify documents. We are communicating a simple message that, Vugebenga abyi hakeli.
This year, we will present to the people of Limpopo a total of six complete police stations located at Botlokwa, Jane Furse, Musina, Letsitele, Giyani CSC and Ga-Masemola. We thank Ntate Diale, a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly who tirelessly campaigned for the building of a Police station at Ga-Masemola. Ntate Diale, has become a voice of reason and we truly appreciate his efforts.
Honourable Speaker. An additional six Satellite Police Stations will be completed in our province based in Nwamitwa, Miami, Aganang, Driekop, Sekgopo, Bakenberg and Maklerekeng in Dennilton as part of the capital project of the South African Police for the 2009/10 financial year.
The Premier gave us matching orders when he said in his State of the Province address “We will be starting the process of assessments for the possible building of new police stations and satellites in order to deal with the challenge of criminality.”
Honourable Premier, indeed the process of assessment to determine the number and level of police stations and satellites in our province has begun in earnest. To this end, we have identified Eerstegeluk, Zebediela and Bellevue as our urgent need for the building of police stations.
We further submit that we would like to establish three satellite police stations at Bergnek, Greenside and Moletji Ga-Phaudi in the Polokwane and Matlala policing areas.
Drug, alcohol and substance abuse
Honourable Speaker, our province is also confronted by the serious problem of drug, alcohol and substance abuse which accounts to many causes of accidents on our roads, affecting drivers, passengers and pedestrians. We must therefore take the rule very seriously-don’t drink and drive!
During this financial year, I will, with the MEC for the Department of Roads and Transport, embark on a mission to conduct a series of roadblocks which includes stop and search throughout the province as part of the integrated road crime prevention initiative.
The abuse of drugs and alcohol also results in other social crimes, including assaults, robbery and the abuse of women and children. This occurs because some among us, once under the influence, lose the possibility to think and act rationally. Again, we appeal to all our people to act in a responsible manner that promotes the safety and security for all.
We cannot watch hopelessly when families disintegrate. The abuse of women and children is raging on before us. In the third quarter of 2008/09 financial year, we have seen an increase in family violence cases reported from 337 in 2008 to 426 in 2009. This statistics which show the extent of this human anguish and suffering is, by any standard, unacceptable.
A number of cases reported to the police are domestic in nature where women and children are financially, physically, emotionally or sexually abused. Sometimes we hear horror stories where a father has repeatedly abused his own children sexually. How do you expect an HIV positive father to violate his own children sexually to a point of fathering a child with his eldest daughter? Describing her ordeal, this girl said “Our father has condemned us to a life sentence.”
In our quest to provide compassionate service to our people, especially victims of abuse and rape, we are considering the possibility of establishing victim support facilities at fifteen ‘high crime’ police stations in the province. However, the challenge is that budget for the infrastructure development of these centres is located within the Department of Social Development with the South African Police only playing a secondary role.
Honourable Members, perhaps we need to re-look into this matter going forward.
Honourable Speaker, I had the privilege of working the length and breadth of this province, sometimes during the night with police patrol teams. We visited a number of liquor outlets. When we were in Kgapane, Bakgoma Modjadji rightfully pointed out that in his area; there are too many shebeens than schools and that his people drink more alcohol than water.
This is unacceptable, if we are serious about building this nation. Our dream of building a developmental state will not become a reality if we continue on this trajectory. In this regard, we will work closely with all law enforcement agencies and in particular the Liquor board in monitoring compliance with license conditions. We applaud the enactment of the Limpopo Liquor act with hope that indeed inspectors will do their work.
School Safety Programme
Honourable Speaker, Members, the sad part is that those who gave their lives to drugs, alcohol and illegal substances “ply their destructive trade in drugs in our schools” as President Mandela alluded to.
When we visited Setotolwane Elssen School recently, a student representative, Mr Prince Mnisi took to the podium, looked me in the eyes and said “MEC, we have the right to be safe, please help us. Safety is our constitutional right!”
Honourable Speaker.
Prince Mnisi, represent a community of pupils with disabilities who experience abuse almost all the time.
We cannot afford to fail this young man. Safety is indeed a constitutional right of every child among us, let us not fail them.
We will therefore, in partnership with the Department of Education, develop a school visitation programme. The focus of the visits will among others provide with an opportunity to educate learners and students about the dangers of crime. These, we will do with Police officers with the aim of fostering working relations between students and the police.
In dealing with schools that are classified as ‘dangerous’ , we will together with parents, the school governing body and management embark on an operation that includes body searches with the intention of ridding them of drugs, firearms and related dangerous weapons.
We strongly believe that a safe and secure environment is a prerequisite for effective teaching and learning. Never again shall our children go to school in fear.
We must emphasise that the fight against crime needs strong and sustained community interventions with special focus on crime prevention. We therefore need to build an enduring partnership in action within our communities and between communities and the South African Police (SAPS), to make life more and much more difficult and unbearable for the criminals. If we do so, our children will not emulate them as “statues and monuments”.
Mogologolo o opile kgomo lenaka ge are: “Mpya pedi ga di šitwe ke sebata”.
In that regard, we commit ourselves to the following:
- re-establishment of community police forums at every policing area
- develop and implement sector specific programme of action on crime prevention
- capacitate all Community Police forums. These we will do in collaboration with the South African Police
- launch street and village committees in order to contribute to efforts geared towards the fight against crime in our communities
- encourage the police to patrol all our localities, towns and villages in line with the principle of visible policing
FIFA World Cup
Honourable Speaker Africa, Ke nako! The time has come for us to host the most important soccer spectacle on our shores.
We cannot but remember that day when President Nelson Mandela slowly walked into the World Trade Center in Zurich to take his seat. Moments later, images of President Nelson Mandela clutching the World Cup trophy beamed across the globe. Many of us celebrated that joyous moment. We blew the vuvuzela and her melodic sounds of victory never sounded this sweeter. Africa was finally entrusted with soccer’s greatest prize and we are ready to provide security to all citizens, travelers and visitors.
Honourable Members, law enforcement agencies, in ensuring the safety and security during sports events used the inaugural Peter Mokaba Cup Tournament and the Blue Bulls rugby match to determine the level of readiness for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. We demonstrated that indeed, the host City of Polokwane is ready. Both these tournaments were free of crime. Nobody got mugged or stabbed. This is a sign of the level of preparedness by law enforcement agencies.
Honourable Members, during the recent visit to all host cities, FIFA has expressed total confidence in our security plan but we cannot afford to be complacent and sit on our laurels. As the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster, we remain forever vigilant and combat ready for any eventuality. Let us go all out to support our boys, Bafana Bafana and the African Six Pack.
Integrated Border Management System
We will intensify the implementation of the integrated and responsive border management system at all ports of entry to process visitors, travellers and business people while managing potential risks. In this respect the integrated border management system will clearly assist us to achieve the following:
- Create a secure and safe environment for sustainable economic growth and development.
- Protect South Africa and Limpopo from crime, particularly organised crime, harmful diseases and substances.
- Enhance and protect the sovereignty of our country and her international and regional reputation.
- Protect the people of Limpopo from undesirable people, influences, including harmful goods and services.
Similarly, we have seen the successful implementation of the anti- corruption strategy at all our ports of entry with the training of three hundred officials during the 2009/2010 financial year.
In the same year we have also adopted a risk management tool which will be implemented at all ports of entry. These initiatives, including the deployment of sixty-three (63) immigration officers and additional twenty (20) port health officials at the Beit Bridge border post seeks to promote safety and security within the border environment.
We want to restore dignity and integrity in the work we do even at the border posts and those among us who want to behave like “Murderers and thieves…whose hearts are made of stone” will be dealt with harshly.
I am pleased to report that phase one of the Threat and Risk Assessment at designated areas throughout the province, including the host city of Polokwane has been concluded. The process of screening and vetting of all officials at ports of entry, including service providers and the accreditation of participants as required is continuing and is expected to be concluded soon.
Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster
Honourable Speaker. We are, among others, considering the possibility to relocate the Beitbridge taxi rank from where it is currently located, to a much suitable area. These we shall be doing in consultation with all role players in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster, the municipality and the taxi industry in general. Congestion at the taxi rank is causing unnecessary delays travelers and poses a serious security threat to the country. A feasibility study to determine possible avenues to consider is being conducted to that effect.
We further welcome the deployment of soldiers on our borders and the establishment of a Border Management Agency to improve security and promote cooperation among security agencies in the Southern African region.
Visible policing
The South African Police and all other law enforcement agencies will also deploy resources and officers directly at World Cup sites, including the Peter Mokaba Complex, Fan parks and all public viewing areas to ensure the safety of our people, spectators and visitors alike. However, there will be no security vacuum in the province. ‘Thieves and murderers’ who would like to undermine our freedom, democracy and hospitality will have no place to hide. Police patrols will be intensified to ensure that indeed we are a province of peace.
Justice and Constitutional Development
There are, innovations taking place within the cluster, which seeks to address the matter of quicker, effective and speedier dispensation of justice as an important part of the process of dealing with safety and security.
Honourable Members would be pleased to know that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development will establish Mobile courts to deal with issues of criminality on the spot. We further welcome the initiative by Minister Jeff Radebe who is set to introduce reforms in the bail system referred to as ‘three time strike’ to ensure that habitual offenders are prosecuted.
Honoutable Speaker, we are also beginning to experience yet another sad trend of missing persons, especially women and children. We will remain concerned as the issue of human trafficking is becoming serious. According to the Global report on trafficking in persons, the issue of women trafficking is rampant such that an estimated 800 000 women and children are being trafficked worldwide, each year.
“Sexual exploitation and forced labour are the most common forms of human trafficking in the world”, a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has revealed. We therefore need to embark on an increased awareness campaigns regarding this matter.
The rate of the so-called ritual murders also continues to grow. We call upon all our people to work together and with law enforcement agencies to eliminate this form of human anguish.
We are however confident that we will do the best we can to ensure that indeed our province remains peaceful, safe and secure. Let us not allow a handful of criminals erode our kindness, compassion and spirit of ubuntu!
Monitoring and Evaluation
Honourable Speaker,
We will intensify our oversight role on the South African Police in giving meaning to Section 206 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which mandates us to monitor police conduct, Oversee the effectiveness and efficiency of the police and assess the effectiveness of visible policing.
This financial year, the department will focus on follow-ups as per the findings and recommendations from the 2009/10 Monitoring and Evaluation Reports. These include a closer look into feedback given to complainants by the detective services and the implementation of Sector Policing.
We will continue to develop systems to ensure that corrective action is taken to improve service delivery in the police. These include the implementation of award policies to recognise excellence. However, there is still more to be done in respect to service delivery improvement in the Police, particularly on stakeholder engagement and report back to clients.
We believe that constant monitoring and evaluation of the police will enhance a transformed and accountable police service which will in turn improve the quality of service delivery to all our people.
We will continue to conduct stakeholders’ satisfaction surveys within the precincts of police stations. We will further embark on an intensive drive to implement recommendations of all research projects that we conducted in the past. In this regard, the Department of Safety, Security & Liaison has entered into a partnership with the University of Venda. We believe that this partnership will go a long way in enhancing the research capacity of the department going forward.
Safety and Security Summit
The Department of Safety, Security and Liaison is busy with preparations to convene a safety and security summit in April this year. We believe the summit will attract all role players in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster, including organised business, labour, civil society, royalty, traditional healers and religious community.
The objective of the summit is to assist us in finding workable strategies and tactics to fight crime as a collective. These will include the revival of the noble Business against Crime Initiative, Community Policing Forums, Rural safety committees and the establishment of street and village committees, Community safety forums and neighbourhood watch in our province.
We believe that resolutions of the summit will further enrich implementation of key interventions as outlined by the Limpopo Employment Growth and Development Plan, 2009-2014.
Firearm Amnesty
Honourable Speaker,, It is only eleven days to go before the Firearm amnesty period comes to an end. I hope our people heeded the call to surrender their firearms so that all of us should make South Africa 2010 a good year and beyond.
Awuleth’ Umshini wakho – Surrender your firearm!
Acknowledgements
Honourable Speaker, allow me to celebrate members of the South African Police for the sterling job they continue to do in the fight against crime, corruption and fraud. We appreciate all their efforts, including initiatives to curb and prevent crime. The successes that we recorded are in part, the result of their dedicated work, often under difficult and dangerous circumstances.
Our country was saved from yet another drug consignment as members of the Police based at the Polokwane International Airport made a breakthrough after busting two alleged drug dealers, apparently from Somalia while trying to smuggle drugs to Cape Town through Polokwane.
We must also applaud members of the police who acted swiftly and decisively to stop criminals at their tracks during a planned robbery at Coin Security Depot in Nirvana last year. They were equal to the task.
Allow me to single out the 2008/09 best detective for family violence, child protection and sexual offences, Inspector Sebola, attached to SAP - Tzaneen who secured the most convictions with six life sentences in this category. We appreciate you and hope other members will emulate you in the fight against crime.
A word of appreciation also goes to members of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster. Thank you very much. The manner in which we worked together and continue to unite in the fight against crime is not only encouraging but applauded.
Na khensa swinene. I hope you will always keep in mind that “Ritiho rinwe ari nusi Tihove”
Let me also take a moment to thank the Honourable MI Kgetjepe: Chairperson of the portfolio committee on Safety and Security and all members of the committee. Thank you for keeping us on our toes.
Honourable Members, allow me to appreciate Mme Marble Makibelo who joined our department in June 2009 as HOD. We both understood that the achievement of safety and security in this province remains one of the principal strategic objectives of this government and the ruling African National Congress.
To this end, she has contributed to the achievement of that objective. However, tomorrow is her last day as HOD for the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison. We bid her farewell and wish her all the very best in her new endevours and future pursuits. Thanks for your contribution, support and cooperation.
To all members of this august house and colleagues in the executive council. Ek se! Baie dankie vir u ondersteuning. We take no part of your support for granted.
Let me also thank my ever understanding family and in particular my husband, Wisane Magadzi, the kids, my father and the extended families for the love and support.
Finally, Honourable Premier, we agree with you when you say, “There is no nobler a cause, than to serve the people of Limpopo.” Thank you!
2010/11 Budget Vote 10
When tabling the provincial budget speech, Honourable Saad Cachalia said “this allocation will fund the advocacy and oversight functions over the South African Police, implementation of the rural safety plan, school safety awareness programme and establish community policing fora.”
We will account for each and every cent that we will be using. I have studied the Auditor General’s report for the 2008/09 financial year very closely. Although we are not qualified, the AG raised issues that need attention. We must not be found wanting this time around.
Honourable Speaker, I am deeply honoured, as always to table to this house Budget Vote 10 for the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison for the 2010/11 financial year to the total value of R53, 172 million.
The budget is divided into the following programmes based on our annual plan.
Programme 1: Administration: R27,977 milliom
Programme 2: Crime Prevention and Community Relation: R9,668 million
Programme 3: Monitoring and Evaluation: R15,527 million
I would like to repeat after President Nelson Mandela when he said, “Today let us renew our pledge to work together, to make South Africa into a land of our dreams!
Indeed, the year 2010 is and should become a very good year! We should demonstrate to ourselves and the rest of the world that we are indeed serious when we say, the people shall govern!”
Inkomu.
