Deputy Minister of Police, Ms Sotyu
President of the IAWP, Ms Townsley
Provincial Commissioner of our host province, KwaZulu-Natal, Lt Gen Ngobeni
Chiefs of other police services present
Directors General of South African Government Departments
Chairperson of the IAWP 2013 Conference Directing Committee, Lt Gen Mofomme
All other Lieutenant Generals and Major Generals of the SAPS present
Speaker for the Durban Council, Mr Naidoo
Representatives of stakeholders and sponsors – Crime Line, SANEF, Transnet, Old Mutual, VWSA, Liberty and SAPU
IAWP Chaplain, Ms Dow
Representatives of Community Policing Forums
Delegates of the 51st IAWP Training Conference
Good evening ladies and gentlemen
As a society, we have made considerable gains in highlighting issues affecting women in general, and in policing in particular. Conferences such as this one bring such issues to the fore. But there is no doubt in my mind that we have to do more.
In her seminal work, “African Women on the Thin Blue Line: Gender-Sensitive Police Reform in Liberia and Southern Sudan”, Jennifer Erin Salahub advances the cause for women in policing. She argues that integrating a gender perspective into policing is not simply about improved numbers of women in the service. “It is also about creating and implementing a range of gender-sensitive policies and practices.
The development and implementation of a police-specific gender policy that outlines strategies and tools, rules and regulations for improving the gender sensitivity of the police is an important step. In particular, police gender policies should recognise and address the differences in experiences between male and female police officers. Policies such as sexual harassment, discrimination, maternity and paternity leave and the like should be addressed in the gender policy, or guided by it if they appear in other regulatory documents”.
In the main, that is what this evening is about. To say that our time as women in policing has long arrived. We will work with our leaders to remove the artificial barriers.
Perhaps that is why this evening brings about a contradiction of feelings. We are happy to be assembled together and sitting with colleagues from 86 countries spread across the globe.
But, at the same time, we are most definitely experiencing sad emotions, because this wonderful and unique experience is drawing to its inevitable end.
We are celebrating the fact that this conference has been a resounding success, that we have learned so much from learned speakers and are thus better equipped to fight crime and serve our communities. We have made friends across cultures and across oceans with comrades in law enforcement whose souls resonate with ours.
But again, at the same time, we have watched aghast as the full horror of the terror attack in Nairobi has unfolded.
On Sunday we lit a candle in memory of the 25 women in law enforcement throughout the world that we know of, who died in the line of duty. On that very day, in this very city, a female traffic officer, Thuli Nhlengethwa, was killed in a hit-and-run accident on duty when she tried to pull over a speeding motorist.
We join the families of Thuli, and the families of the victims of the terror attack, in mourning the loss of their loved ones.
It has been a wonderful experience for me, as patron of this training conference, to hear from so many of our delegates that they have loved their stay in South Africa and that they will never forget this episode in their lives.
What seems to have most touched our delegates from abroad is the warmth and vibrancy of the people of South Africa and Africa. Time and time again I have been told how our spontaneous singing, dancing and “joie de vivre” inspired our visitors. My message to you is that you should take our warmth home with you and celebrate your life every day through song, dance and love – the spirit of African “ubuntu”.
I personally have been most impressed by – what I can only describe as – the “calm discipline” of our delegates at this conference.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you for the part that you have played in making this conference a joyous and learning experience. I pray that you travel safely home – our visitors and South Africans alike - and that you share all that you have learned here with your colleagues and your communities.
As I pondered on apt quotations with which to end my speech, it was fitting that the two that immediately came to mind are those of our icon, former President Nelson Mandela.
The first one I must dedicate to our Conference Directing Committee who definitely suffered some stressful moments over the past year – “It always seems impossible until it’s done”.
The second one relates to those whom we mourn and remember – “We dedicate this day to all the heroes and heroines in this country and the rest of the world who sacrificed in many ways and surrendered their lives so that we could be free” – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
Thank you to the Conference Directing Committee, to the delegates, to the volunteers and to the law enforcement officers who have been working tirelessly to ensure our safety.
This is a moment in time that I will remember and treasure forever.
