North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Liaison, Mr Nono Maloi;
North West SAPS Provincial Commissioner; Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo;
Executive Mayor of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, Cllr Pinky Moloi,
Executive Mayor of Matlosana Local Municipality Cllr Kagiso Khauoe;
North West Provincial Law Enforcement Head, Mr Vincent Mogopodi;
Representatives from other Government Departments;
Representatives from Business;
Representatives from Community Policing Forums present;
Representatives from Youth formations and Civic Organisations;
Distinguished guests;
Community of Matlosana and surrounding areas;
Members of the media;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Every South African is entitled to live in safety, free from crime and violence.
Crime is a complex challenge and for us to defeat this scourge, we need all the social partners. On a daily basis, we continue to develop and implement plans to reduce crime, with the support and in partnership with all law-abiding citizens of our country.
Last week we launched the National Duty Calls Festive Season campaign in George, Western Cape. We are here today in Matlosana to carry forward our clarion call to you as residents of this province, to work in partnership with the police during this festive season.
Festive season is a period of relaxation, goodwill and for families to enjoy each other’s company, free from crime. We know that North West is one of our magnificent provinces which contribute significantly to the country’s GDP, particularly through its mineral resources and tourism. However, criminal acts stand in direct opposite of this goodwill thus have potential to create a sense of fear and anxiety during the same period.
We are here today to say, we cannot allow criminals to rule your festive season. We cannot allow criminals to rob you of your all year earnings which you acquired through legitimate hard work and dedication. This is your sweat and toiling as such you deserve to enjoy your hard work free from crime. But to achieve all these, police cannot do it on their own, they need to your support and working together.
Since the start of Operation Duty Calls in the North West in October, a total 690 arrests for serious crimes have been made. Out of these crimes suspects were arrested for rape, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and sexual assault. In addition, in last night’s operation a total of 42 suspects were arrested for serious crimes ranging from eight rapes, 14 assaults, one for attempted murder and one for intimidation.
All these crimes are investigated by the Family Violence, Sexual Offences and Child Protection (FCS) unit of Klerksdorp, which has been recognised as the best FCS in the North West for the 2012/13 financial year. In fact Lieutenant Colonel Irene Kruger who is the unit commander was also recognised as the best Detective Commander.
This unit has made us proud by securing a total of 8 life sentences and cumulative prison sentences of 1090 years for the 2012/13 financial year. We commend these members for their selfless dedication to duty especially in combatting crimes against women, children and the elderly.
During this festive season, we shall intensify police visibility. There will be concerted programmes and increased police visibility to deal with aggravated robberies, border security, illegal firearms, liquor and Second Hand Goods Act enforcement, by-law enforcements and road safety enforcement. However our campaign will focus more around crimes against women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.
We want to emphasise and in fact correct some of the misconceptions around crimes against children, as we have noted a few incidents over the past weeks. The protection of children must not be seen solely as a policing duty. We cannot apportion parenting of children to police. Parents must parent. Police will police.
If a ten year old child is hooked on drugs, we need to begin to question ourselves, where is the parent? When teenagers spent hours on social media, chatting to strangers who promise to look after them, where are the parents? When young girls and boys go to taverns for the whole weekend without their parents knowing their whereabouts, should we blame the police? We believe it is about time that we all play our roles in order to tackle some of these challenges.
Let us therefore strengthen our collective efforts against child abuse, neglect and exploitation. Members of society, including children, must work together with law-enforcement agencies in combating abuse, neglect and exploitation of our children.
We know that marginalised youth represent an easy target for gangs and syndicates, the community and its leaders should therefore pay attention to the issue of social exclusion. Drugs are both a crime and a cause of crime. Good parenting goes a long way in the fight against drugs and drug abuse. During the festive season, house and burglaries turn to increase however with our plans in place; we shall do our best to ensure that criminals fail in their efforts. Whilst police visibility is a deterrent to crime, we took a conscious decision to ensure that legislatively we strengthen this aspect.
When we passed the Second-Hand Goods Act, 2009 (Act No 6 of 2009), which came into effect on 1 May 2012, our intervention by and large was targeting to address such criminal acts. In essence, the Act stipulates that any person who buys a stolen good is as guilty as the person who stole the goods; and harsher sentences will apply to both the buyer and the thief. Now with the new law, both the buyer and the seller both face a prison sentence of up to 10 years, which in the past was 10 months.
The Act further requires all dealers in second-hand goods to report to the police all suspicious transactions where the seller attempts to provide false particulars or where the goods are suspected to be stolen or tampered with. Second-hand goods dealers and pawnbrokers will therefore not only have to take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not buy stolen goods or goods that have been tampered with, but also be careful from whom they buy goods. If an unscrupulous dealer is found guilty, a Court may impose a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
For those criminals who trade in stolen cable (izinyoka) we will have no mercy on them because their actions endanger lives, affect the economy and perpetrators of such will not be spared. This offence too gives a Court the power to sentence copper thieves and unscrupulous scrap dealers to imprisonment for a period of 10 years. We therefore believe this legislation will assist in combating both copper and property crimes.
Our message to the communities around North West is to refrain from buying stolen goods because this perpetuates criminality. We urge you as members of society to continue to blow the whistle against any suspected illegal activities and refrain from buying stolen goods. In this way, we will move forward towards a crime-free society.
We want to utilise this important occasion to make a clarion call to all young people to lead exemplary lifestyles, away from crime. As future generations, you cannot and must never abdicate on your responsibilities of ensuring that you remain free from crime, prostitution and drugs. Resist the temptation of drugs because it will destroy your future. In fact, most of these drug lords who sell you drugs, they themselves do not even smoke or use those drugs.
As we conclude we urge all the members of the South African Police Service to serve communities with diligence and commitment, not only during the festive season but even beyond. We are aware that while most of the South Africans will be enjoying quality time with friends and relatives, these dedicated men and women in blue, will be carrying their duties with vigour, determination and pride. We salute these heroes and heroines.
The scourge of crime respects nobody. Together we can do more to ensure a safe festive season in North West.
I thank you.
