THEME: Building a united front to help and protect communities
House Chairperson
Deputy Minister: Ms Makhotso Magdeline Sotyu;
MECs
Chairperson: Portfolio Committee on Police;
Honourable Members;
Management and Members of the South African Police Services; Independent Police Investigative Directorate; Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation; the Civilian Secretariat for Police; and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority.
Esteemed guests
Fellow South Africans
A tree of knowledge and wisdom has fallen. Isithwalandwe Mme Ruth Mompati, one of the leading lights and moral compass of our generation passed on this week after serving the people of this country with distinction, honour and selflessness.
We take solace in the fact that we will continue to derive inspiration from a life well lived – a life that taught us that the human soul is a balance between reason, spirit and desire.
Let me also honour the young learners from North West who are invited to this budget vote, following their demonstration of interest in policing matters during one of our Marikana outreach programmes.
The three learners in the gallery are: Kealeboga Tisane, Mbuso Luphondwana and Itumeleng Morolong and they represent the future we want. I would also like to honour Mr Alpheas Masemola from the Ministry who retired this year after 33 years in the service. May he enjoy a less hectic life.
We present this Budget Vote in the year in which we are celebrating 60 years of the Freedom Charter. For this reason, it is important to reflect and look back at the obligations of those men and women in relation to what this means in our present day South Africa.
The Freedom Charter mandated us as the security cluster to ensure that ‘all shall be equal before the law’. In this regard, the South African Police Service are to be helpers and protectors of the people.
We may have differing views on the successes that we have registered in this sector, however as South Africans we should take comfort in the fact that our men and women in blue, alongside other law enforcement agencies continue to make our country proud as they have demonstrated in the recent xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals; which in themselves are indicative of the amount of work we have to do in reversing the extent and levels of underdevelopment in our society.
Not only were our security forces propelled by legal and institutional arrangements in dealing with this situation; but as human beings and fellow South Africans; they are convinced that all of us are one people and belong to one humanity. It is our fervent wish that our members continue to do what our Constitution requires of them and that all people within our borders embrace the work of the police.
All that we have stated above is against the backdrop of continued killing of police members - with 86 having lost their lives in this past financial year – 35 on duty and 51 while off duty. This is an overall increase of close to 12% compared to the previous year. As society it is important to inculcate in our selves that killing police is killing the nation.
Equally, we are not oblivious or blind to police infractions against citizens that have been reported to IPID – infractions which are being dealt with and continue to be dealt with expeditiously.
The African National Congress in its Ready to Govern Policy document identified specific priorities defining the future perspective on policing in a democratic context.
Some of which are:
- Policing shall be based on community support and participation;
- Police shall be accountable to society and the community it serves through democratically elected institutions;
- Policing shall be subject to public scrutiny and open debate;
- Allegations of police misconduct shall be dealt with by independent complaints and investigations mechanisms;
- The police service shall strive for high performance standards.
These strategic priorities were further submitted as final inputs on June 15 1995 in drafting the current Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
We have in the past year revisited these ideals and combined them with the mandate given to us by the National Development Plan (NDP); to develop a framework that is aimed at revisiting our trajectory with a view to keep on transforming.
In this regard, we have focused our efforts on strengthening the police and policing in general in the country. This effort is also being mobilized on the basis of the publication of the White Paper on Safety and Security and the White Paper on Policing.
This financial year marks 20 years since the promulgation of the South African Police Service Act. As we do with all legislation, we have to review it continually to make sure that it addresses our present day challenges.
In this regard; the White Paper on Policing is aimed at the review of the Act to make it relevant to modern day challenges and operational requirements. It also seeks to align SAPS act with the provisions of the Constitution.
The White Paper on Safety and Security emphasizes an integrated approach to policing and will form the basis for our policy and legislative review process. We continue to aspire to the creation of a state where our people are free, safe and able to raise their children in a stable society. In doing so, we are informed by our commitment to the creation of a just society and state – a state that according to Socrates will exhibit four qualities of “wisdom, courage, discipline and justice”.
Our integrated approach to policing emphasises the involvement of our communities in the fight against crime and corruption. This is a responsibility we all share with the police being lead agents in this regard. That is why we have in the current financial year placed the bulk of our spending towards visible policing which will receive just under R39-billion for this financial year.
In the coming financial year, we will also be placing a stronger emphasis on the need to review specialised units that are dedicated to fighting specific forms of crime and specialised investigations. We have heard the outcry of communities ravaged by drugs.
Already the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit has made great strides and continues to secure life convictions, progressively. We place such an emphasis and review taking into account that the commission of crime has become more specialized, advanced and sophisticated. Therefore our response should be a level higher than the criminals.
Just under R16 billion has been committed to our detective services, which will witness a growth of 5.8% in the medium term. This budget will also be supported by the increase in capital equipment aimed at improving the capital infrastructure and technological advancements particularly in the forensic science and investigative functions.
Our policing shall always be intelligence led in the war against crime and corruption. It is for this reason that crime intelligence will also receive an 7.8% increase of its budget allocation in the medium term.
We are also placing an emphasis on improving investigation capacity for crimes committed against children and the elderly. R840-million will be dedicated to this with further increases expected in the outer years of our (MTEF) Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
The Civilian Secretariat for Police has been established as an independent entity with effect from 1 April 2015 so that it can effectively discharge its duty of civilian oversight over the police and inducing community activation.
A transfer payment on the Vote amounting to approximately R105 million has been provided to the Civilian Secretariat for Police whose work on policy and legislative front is invaluable.
CSP contribute towards the NDP envisaging that people living in South Africa should feel safe at home, at school and at work, and enjoy an active community life free of fear. The plan promotes tackling the fundamental causes of crime through an integrated approach between state and non-state institutions, with active involvement from civil society.
The Constitutional Court directed that we should enhance the independence of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations. In this regard, we have commenced the establishment of the DPCI as an independent Budget Programme. The new programme will be introduced through the MTEF process in June 2015. A task team has been established with a target for a new programme by 1 April 2016.
Alongside this process is the need to capacitate the Hawks by significantly ramping up investment in capital infrastructure, which involves the upgrading of information technology network and the creation of human capability to assist in the effective combatting, investigation and prevention of priority and trans-national crimes and corruption.
House chair
Tom Butler-Bowdon in introducing Plato, states that; “Doing what is right is not a moral good to be traded in order to gain something or to be sacrificed when it has no apparent benefit, rather, correct action is a necessity – one cannot live a good life without it”.
In this regard, the oversight role played by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) cannot be overemphasised. Its role in conducting investigations and making recommendations on the conduct of the police is being enhanced through the establishment of the National Special Investigation Team (NSIT), which will focus on the investigation of systemic corruption cases at national level.
It remains our commitment that IPID conducts its investigations without fear, favour or prejudice. It is only through such unquestionable professionalism and integrity that our people will have faith in the police and our institutions of oversight such as the IPID and Civilian Secretariat for Police.
Policy and legislative formulation plays a vital role in shaping the future of policing in our country. In this regard, a Consultative Forum chaired jointly by the Executive Director of IPID and the Secretary of Police as per the legislative requirements has been established; with a view to also recommend and advise the Minister on issues of policy and legislation.
One of the milestones registered thus far is the National Critical Infrastructure Bill, a piece of legislation that seek to repeal the National Key points Act, Act 102 of 1980 which currently is with Cabinet.
We are also amending the Firearms Control Act as a way of curbing the prevalence of gun culture and high levels of violence in our society. There are far too many guns circulating in our society.
You would be aware that the Private Security Industry Amendment Bill is in process. The Bill is currently being considered for assent by the President.
The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority like many other institutions is experiencing financial pressures due to a number of challenges and legal contestations from business. We have however reached a settlement on the new fees that are due to be implemented in the current financial year.
In the current financial year we will also be looking at the new funding model aimed at ensuring the financial sustainability of the Authority. We will conduct research and benchmarks with other countries to look at best mechanisms and the recommendations of such a process, which will assist in crafting a way forward on the financial model to be followed.
The Authority has in the previous financial year completed a three-year research project that was funded by the International Research and Development Centre (IDRC), namely, Promoting Partnership for Crime Prevention between State and Private Security Providers in Southern Africa. This study is comparative in nature and covers Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. Around June 2015, the Authority will be publishing the research output in a form of a monograph and this will also be available online.
The recommendations of the study will also enhance our approach and partnership in the fight against crime in the country.
House chair
This country has witnessed a spike in service delivery and or community protests for service delivery. Police resources were committed to 14 740 incidents of which 12 451 were peaceful and, 2 289 turning violent. The fact of the matter is that these protests continue to strain the resources of the SAPS. We are also mindful that citizens have a right to air their grievances; however, society needs to understand that the solution to these protests do not lie with the police.
They lie with the ability to exercise leadership and the effective address of service delivery issues and other developmental needs in our communities. In this regard, we urge all political parties of different persuasions to play a constructive role in stabilising our communities.
On the other hand, as the police we will continue to play our role and duty in ensuring that in the exercise of such rights, life, limb and property are secured.
In the year under review, we have criss-crossed the length and breadth of our country listening and interacting with communities on issues of policing. Thus far, the Police Ministry, in a space of about six months conducted more than 67 community outreach programmes. This in itself demonstrates our commitment to our policy which places policing at the centre of community responsibility.
We listened and intervened successfully in Kuruman where children were being denied a chance for schooling. We did the same in Malamulele. We were there when we were required in Grabouw.
We continue with the We Are One Humanity programme that seeks to deal with the wrong psyche that has seen a neighbour turn against neighbour. The fact of the matter is: we have a shared destiny.
In the year under review, DPCI registered the following successes:
- Of the 3 959 commercial cases handled, 2 749 individuals arrested with the conviction rate of 97.1%.
- With 56 individuals for money laundering, with 44 convictions, which saw the value of assets, forfeited to the state of R98 156 756, 52.
- Cyber-crime unit successfully saved Eskom and GAUTRAIN R3, 5-billion and R800-million respectively.
- 57 clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled
- 324 held for drug related crimes and 98 convictions.
- 436 held with 56 convictions for precious stones/metals
- 192 arrested for endangered species and 68 convictions
- 42 arrested for Human Trafficking with 2 convictions.
- 2090 held for organized crime with 558 convictions.
Through our Visible Policing division we have ensured national security and territorial integrity of the Republic; through 3 775 crime prevention and combating operations at ports of entry.
For South Africa to be safe, stable and developmental, it requires that all of us must play a role on issues of policing and ensuring a safe and secure environment, taking into account that the quality of a nation arises from the combined attributes of its citizens.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Musa Zondi
Cell: 076 331 4810
