The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General CC Binta
D/Provincial Commissioner-Visible Police Maj. General McKenzie
Deputy Provincial Commissioner HRM, Maj. General EN Dlani
Provincial Champion for South African Police Service (SAPS) Womens Network, Col. N Jafta
Representatives from Business Against Crime
Representatives from CPFs present
Representatives from Interfaith Organisations present
Representatives from NGOs present
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Programme Director, let me thank Colonel Jafta, the champion of SAPS Women’s Network in the Eastern Cape, for the opportunity to be here today, and to take part in what I consider to be an extremely important event for the people of Mount Fletcher.
As SAPS Leadership we are indeed proud of the good work that you are doing here as the SAPS Women’s Network. To SAPS Men for Change, we pay tribute to the work that you do to make sure that men are involved in the fight against abuse of women.
Men for Change is telling that violence is unacceptable, it is unacceptable whether it is against women; and it is unacceptable whether it is against men. They also tell us that not all men are engaged in violence, and thus we cannot paint a broad brush, as it could be unfair and unproductive.
Men for Change indeed tell us that men are husbands, fathers, brothers and uncles, and thus in many cases are friend and allies of women who are in the same campaign to stop violence.
In honouring Women’s Month, it is obvious the two-day event that you organised Col Jafta is based not on words but actions. I am told that yesterday you were in pursuit of raiding unlicensed taverns, visiting villages, visiting ports of entry to curb stock-theft.
These indeed is good work by the Police of the Eastern Cape, because we are aware that some of the major challenges faced by you as communities include high levels of violent crime, stock theft, illegal cross-border crossing and its related border crimes
We must continue to call on communities residing in areas where there are illegal shebeens and taverns to report them to the authorities so that they can be closed down.
Taverns and shebeens that are found next schools and churches must be closed. We all know that excessive and abuse of alcohol increase social ills of domestic abuse, violence, drinking-and-driving, and aggression.
We call upon our youth to refrain from idolising amagintsa, because their fame is temporary. We call upon parents to stop harbouring their criminal children in their homes.
We are appealing to our religious fraternity to help government with rebuilding the moral fibre of our society. Who would forget the sight of schoolchildren in uniform and going to school, drinking on the streets whilst walking towards the school premises?
We thus also urge parents to play an active role in the upbringing of their children. It is not enough to just to regulate laws that would prohibit selling liquor on Sundays.
Every year, we hear tragic stories of our elderly being abused in their own homes, by their own family for greed of their indodla. Some accuse of elderly, especially the elderly women, of witchcraft.
This is evil deed, and is devoid of ubuntu and imbeko/intlonipho. It can only be an evil person who abuses an elder who is surely now more physically frail, and who, due to their advanced age, are less able to stand up to bullying and to fight back.
We have also heard about the horrors of our elderly women raped because the perpetrator believes in the myth of being cured of HIV and AIDS. Bantu bakuthi, we must bring back ubuntu of ubumelwane, and to report any suspected abuse of the elderly.
The disabled children are also one group that is vulnerable to all sorts of abuses. Disabled children are often targeted by abusers who see them as easy victims.
With the establishment of the new Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, we are very hopeful as Government that, there will be programmes that will provide social support, opportunities for education, employment, and participation in the community to integrate our disabled children and their families in the broader community.
We must also mobilise communities living along borders to work with the law enforcements on both sides of the borders to help curb crime.
Deploying soldiers and police along our borders is not enough to fight against cross-border crime. Crime is a scourge that does not respect borders, with syndicates that have made the entire globe the theatre of their operations.
As the ANC-led government, we always strive to work with other governments, such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique on all developmental projects, including addressing illegal border crossing and illegal immigration.
We must however know ladies and gentlemen, that not everyone comes across the borders to commit crime.
Many are fleeing situations of conflict, unemployment, poverty and they see hope in South Africa. Therefore, yes South Africa is a land of opportunity and an opportunity for criminals.
Our government is improving borderline control by first curbing out corruption out of officials, because these corrupt officials help increase illegal immigration by providing fraud and fake documentation.
Police is also succeeding in arresting people crossing with stolen vehicles, illegal firearms, and drugs. We know that in these parts of the country, stock thefts have dramatically increased especially along the border of Lesotho.
As Ministry of Police, we have come up with a comprehensive Rural Safety Programme to ensure that our rural communities are and feel safe.
Therefore, government is not only securing farmers, but also farm dwellers and rural community with stock, especially those communities that are near border with other countries.
Perhaps then, the community of Mount Fletcher needs to consider establishing community patrols especially in areas where people on both sides would cross over for better grasing grounds for their cattle.
We need to help the police by reporting illegal grasing as they are the main cause of stock theft. In addition, stock-theft might result in the spread of animal disease.
In conclusion, Programme Director, let us all pledge as South Africans and, as residents of the Eastern Cape, to work for peace, respect and integrity. We must encourage our fellow citizens to work with Government and law enforcement agencies to apprehend those who plan, commit crimes against South Africa.
I thank you.
