Programme director: Deputy Director General Thabo Masebe
Fellow MECs present
Journalists from various media houses
Government officials present
Ladies and gentlemen
It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to publicly discuss service delivery milestones of my department and to also reflect on goals for the remaining term of office for the current government. I wish to start by reflecting on one of the topical issue, that of the Bus Rapid Transit System or BRT, the safety of this mode of transport in particular.
With regards to this matter I wish to assure the public that we have enhanced the safety of the system. We shall continue ensuring that commuters' lives are not endangered either through the buses being not roadworthy or because of other criminal actions from those opposed to progress. I must also point out that the hunt for the criminals responsible for the attack on two of the buses is yielding very positive results.
The law enforcement agents are now working on information that will lead to the arrests of the criminals. Additionally, in the course of hunting down the thugs we arrested thugs who were already in the wanted list of the police. Some of these were found in possession of unlicensed firearms, drugs and stolen vehicles. The second raid in Nancefield hostel, on midnight of 3 September 2009, resulted in the arrest of more criminals who were illegally in possession AK 47 automatic rifles.
Tools used by police on the spot confirmed one of those arrested as having been involved in other criminal activities. Addressing the community of Gauteng during her 2009 state of the province address, Premier Mokonyane promised that we shall “increase material support to the recently initiated rapid response team”. I am happy to confirm that we are on course towards fulfilling this promise. In the hundred days or so after this by the Premier, a fleet of 14 high powered BMW vehicles have been added to the 100 vehicles available to the rapid response team.
I am also happy to report that we continue to reduce the time it takes for police to practically respond to 10111 emergencies. It now takes us less than 30 minutes, on the average, to respond to emergencies reported on the 10111 number. This is the lowest response time recorded since April 2008 when the reaction times averaged 102 minutes. We shall continue working on further increasing the reaction time with specific focus on the 20 stations with the slowest reaction time.
As directed by Premier Mokonyane, steps to review the criminal justice system have already begun. The first meeting towards launching a statutory body that will help with more effective coordination in the criminal justice system in Gauteng took place during August 2009. With the establishment of this statutory body we hope to further enhance the fight against crime.
In the state of the province address, the provincial government committed to ensure enhanced accountability by the police and that the South African Police Service (SAPS) meet targets that will have been identified in provincial policing priorities. A process to identify these policing priorities has started. A programme of izimbizo has been prepared.
In line with this programme, 22 izimbizo in the 22 provincial policing clusters has been developed and we hope to complete this process by the end of this month. Ekurhuleni has set up a task team of four to work to prepare for its izimbizo session. Khutsong and Kagiso are also on board for its izimbizo schedules and so are Sedibeng, Metsweding, Tshwane and Johannesburg. Consultation processes with the SAPS have also started. We have already started engagements with the Gauteng Planning Commission. We hope to elicit more guidelines on milestones, among others, from this commission.
Through Premier Mokonyane, the provincial government promised to create conducive conditions to strengthen social crime prevention strategies. As part of this strategy, we have recruited 2 469 more community patrollers. In addition, 3 500 community patrollers will be having their pass out parade today. Another group of 3 500 community patrollers graduated on the 31 August 2009. These graduates had completed a course offered in partnership with the University of Pretoria.
The provincial government promised to, within the next three months from opening of the legislature; convene a meeting with all the private security companies in Gauteng. The aim of this convention is to further enhance our fight against crime.
I am happy to report that the department, working hand in hand with the SAPS, has piloted a partnership between Honeydew police station and private security company in the area. The pilot project has recently been taken over by the Security Industry Alliance and a revised memorandum of understanding was signed in June 2009. Eleven security companies are working with the SAPS in the Honeydew precinct. An impact assessment is being developed to establish the impact of this pilot on crime in the precinct.
The project is also currently being rolled out in the Florida, Roodepoort, Douglasdale and Randburg police stations. It is a pleasure to also report that a meeting with the private security industry operating within Gauteng has been set up for today.
In conclusion, I wish to point out that whilst available information indicates an increase in business robberies, we have also recorded a decrease in vehicle hijackings and residential robberies. A total of 176 suspected criminals involved in business robberies, house robberies and vehicle hijackings were arrested. In July we also recorded 35 convictions in trio crime cases. Kuya sheshwa. But working together, we can do much more to better the lives of all our people.
Source: Department of Community Safety, Gauteng Provincial Government
