Programme Director,
Premier of the Free State, Hon Ace Magashule,
MEC for Police, Roads and Transport, Mr Bhutana Khompela,
Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metro, Mr T Manyoni,
Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lt Gen Sithole,
All SAPS Top Management present,
All Members of the SAPS,
All Government Officials present,
All NGOs, CBOs, NPOs, present,
All Delegates representing Youth Structures,
All Dignitaries,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The topic for Commission Four: “The implementation of the Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy requires a formalised multi-agency approach and collaboration to ensure commitment from all role-players towards integrated planning and on-going research”, could not be more relevant today in the midst of all the challenges we are facing as the Department of Police.
But, these are challenges that are not new, but are now more emphasised, more visible, and certainly at times, more distorted to cause sensationalism detrimental to the image of the South African Police Service.
Therefore, this Topic for Commission Four has to be able to pragmatise and to broad base the desirable outcome of a formalised multi-agency approach. Without a credible and transparent coordination and integration of our efforts, crime prevention will never be achieved.
We certainly must continue to innovate our formalised multi-agency approach, so as to be able to effectively review what is no longer working in crime protection projects. It is one thing to support a cause of crime prevention through development of strategies, data and reports; but a totally different agenda to change societal, individual and communal behaviour in pursuit of that cause.
In this instance, when I propose for a broad-based formalised multi-agency approach, I am inviting all six commissions of this Summit to consider discussing public perceptions about our South African Police Service, as this will ultimately inform how we are going to strategise for an efficient and effective multi-agency approach on crime prevention.
There are at least three types of perceptions that inform either the negative or the positive image of the SAPS. First, there is a general perception of SAPS as an institution, which looks at public image of honesty and ethical standards of our police.
Then, there is a perception of SAPS as a front-line service delivery department, a perception that is informed by people’s experiences with the police in and outside the police station. And, lastly, there is a perception of the SAPS’ culture that is informed by or lack of public confidence on how police treat people, and the police motives thereof, rather than being informed by on success or failure in reducing crime.
All these types of perceptions are created by mass media, big tragic events involving the police, knowledge or lack of the Judicial System, and the norm that police are responsible for fighting and preventing crime.
For instance, the majority of the South Africans do have access to at least one form of media (radio, TV, internet, tweeter, face book, newspapers, tabloids/magazines, etc.), and these are used as sources of information about crime.
The challenge is that most of print media portray police and police work in a highly distorted and sensationalist fashion, which tend to reduce public confidence and trust in the SAPS.
A highly publicised event in another city such as Ficksburg, regarding Mr Tatane, which had received high visibility domestically and internationally, tend to have a nation-wide impact on the public’s view of the Police, and the effect is detrimental to the stability of the SAPS.
Most citizens seem to be oblivious on the distinction between Police’s mandate and the judicial mandate, and allegations that the Police always release people on bail.
Also the apparent inconsistencies in Court Judgments have made Black African people to decry “racism” within the Courts. And, there is a continuing insistence by residents that the Police are responsible for controlling and preventing crime in their neighbourhoods.
This Summit then is a perfect place to kick-start the understanding and to learn how much influence is exerted by the general public’s experiences with the police, and what they learn from the mass media such as radio, TV, internet, newspapers, magazines, tabloids, etc.
Knowing how much and in what ways these sources influence public opinion about the police might help us develop more strategies to improve people’s perceptions of and support of the police.
I think it is a fact that the public perceptions of how police treat people do affect their willingness or non-willingness to obey the law and obey the police as enforcers of that law. The people’s experiences with the police affect their overall assessment and related behaviour towards the police.
As we then break into our different commissions later today, let us probe the question: when the crime rate is going up or down does the public credit the police with this effect?
Because police tend to rely heavily on indicators and measures of operations and performance in dealing with crime, it is critical to know whether success reported does translate into public credit and accountability.
To have a formalised multi-agency approach to prevent crime, we first need to understand public perception about the police. And, this Summit is expected to initiate effective strategies to understand and manage those public perceptions.
I thank you all.
