MEC for Human settlements Public Safety and Liason Nono Maloyi
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Provincial Commissioner-Lt General Mbombo
Heads of Departments
Deputy Provincial Commissioners
Provincial Cluster Commanders
MMCs for Public Safety
South African Defence Force and Correctional Service
Business Against Crime-Ms. Susan Mabe
Portfolio Chairperson-Mr Mahlakeng Mahlakeng
Members of the Portfolio Committee for human settlements Public Safety and Liaison
Managing Director of Platinum Stars Mr Floyd Mbele
Public Private Companies
Community Police Forums
Law enforcement agencies present here
Colleagues and the Media
Bagaetsho ba ba rategang
I guess it is undisputable that the majority of people in our towns, villages and across all sectors of our communities hate crime with the same passion expressed by an anonymous poet who wrote the poem I hate crime which reads:
“I hated it; like a dog wandering on the street detests to be lambasted,
I hated it; like thunder clouds in sky which simply refrain to rain,
I hated it; like the seasonal stream of water which protests vehemently against drying,
I hated it; like a sacrosanct priest in the church who intractably rejects worldly pleasures,
I hated it; like the unscrupulous burglar in the street despises to be apprehended,
I hated it; like walls of the palatial mansion severely repulsed ghastly darkness,
I hated it; like the palpable and intricate heart rebukes the closure of breath, I hated it; like the sensitive tongue in mouth hates to be mercilessly scalded, I hated it; like silver sands of the ocean thoroughly despise acerbic rays of brilliant sun,
I hated it; like the aircraft soaring high in puffs of clouds hates to collide with the ground,
I hated it; like fresh fruits dangling from tree branches hated to become rotten,
I hated it; like the synchronised demeanor of computer hated a host of virus,
I hated it; like the gleaming surface of immaculate marble hates yellow stain,
I hated it; like an innocuous child abhorrently detests to be scolded,
I hated it; like the motorised lift in the edifice hated to close brusquely midway,
I hated it; like the scintillating edge of sword hated to acquire rust,
I hated it; like the grandiloquent ship sailing on the sea hated to sink,
I hated it; like the people with perfect sight hated to transit to blind,
I hated it; like the silken spider in its web hates to lose balance and fall,
I hated it; like the innocent hate to be tyrannised and brutally mutilated,
I hated it; like compact cubes of solid ice hated to melt,
I hated it; as much as the marathon champion hated to lose the race,
I hated it; as much as a cluster of fortified teeth in the mouth hated to painstakingly decay,
I hated it; as much as I hated to relinquish indispensable breath and die,
Oh! Yes the thing that I hated has been hated profoundly since centuries”
Today we mark the closure of October Transport Month campaign. This is an annual feature on the calendar of the Department of Transport. It seeks to raise awareness of the important role of transport in the economy, and to invite participation from civic society and business, in providing a safer, more affordable, accessible and reliable transport system for the country. The events hosted this year focused on transport projects that create jobs, develop efficient and reliable public transport but with a bias towards road safety, public transport and infrastructure development.
This follows a plan which the department put together in an effort to contribute towards October transport month with regard to road safety management. This was carried through by the Department through the different road safety education programmes and traffic law enforcement operations. This also is part of our efforts to reiterate our previous statement that we want to declare the North West an accident and crime free zone throughout.
We therefore close the October Month on a high note and having noted the achievement of the Department in stopping and screening ninety thousand two hundred and forty five vehicles, issuing thirty nine thousand two hundred and ninety seven notices, discontinuing one hundred and fourteen vehicles, arrest to seventy nine drivers, executing nine hundred and twenty four warrants and arresting two illegal foreign nationals.
This achievement is as a result of an effort of individual members of traffic and road safety officers who committed themselves to deliver on this campaign. I want to thank you all for your selfless sacrifice in ensuring safety of our scholar transport, mini busses and taxis. We also thank you for discontinuing and impounding all the unfit public transport vehicles.
Programme director, in order to keep up the momentum, The decision to launch Arrive Alive campaign and Operation When Duty Calls immediately after the closure of October Month is the step in the right direction. We will support you in all respect to ensure that you succeed in your mission to safe lives.
Arrive Alive and Operation When Duty Calls must be a daily call to both our police and traffic officers. We have declared the North West a crime free and accident free zone for intensified onslaught against lawlessness.
According to the 2011/2012 crime statistics presented to the Executive Council after the release of Annual Crime Statistics by the National Minister in September. One of our major concern was the increase in crimes relating to murder, rape, assault abuse of women and children.
Liquor played a direct negative impact on some of the crimes. 2.36% of Murders cases could be directly be linked to liquor accounting to 19 cases of the 802 reported, 3.26% to Assault GBH accounting to 465 cases of the 14230 reported, 5.35% to rape cases accounting to 212 of the 4972 reported.
We were informed that these crimes happened either when the perpetrators where from a drinking place or after the consumption of alcohol.
This year, the police must tackle compliance to the liquor licenses conditions in all respect and this must be done jointly with the Department of Economic Development, Conservation, Environment and Tourism.
As we approach the 16 days of activism on no violence against women and children, we also need to intensify the fight on crimes against women and children, alcohol, drug abuse and gangsterism.
To all the Community Police Forums, remember that you are the eyes and ears of the police and the crime prevention programmes you presented to us must contribute towards reduction of crime in your respective areas.
Programme director, last year, a total of 96 crashes were reported from 1 December 2011 to 11 January 2012 compared with 105 for the Festive Season 2010/2011. From these crashes, we recorded a total of 112 fatalities which is a total reduction of 11% compared to 2010/11 with 127 fatalities.
Speed, Pedestrian negligence (jay walking, walking on freeways, not visible at night and drunken walking), Abuse of alcohol by drivers and; Fatigue, especially amongst public passenger drivers; Vehicle fitness ( particularly tyre failure and defective brakes) were the main contributory factors.
For the past five years speeding has taken a tall in all most of our crashes. These offenders drive dangerously, recklessly and/or inconsiderately. It is not only the offender who puts himself at risk of an accident, in most instances they continue to overtake on barrier lines, push off other drivers out of the road and become the causes of other accidents.
I want to urge all traffic officers to show no mercy especially on our provincial roads.
The high rate of pedestrians killed on the roads which is also the second contributory factor to fatalities. This is sheer disregard of the road safety education and awareness that we always conduct to these pedestrians. Most of these pedestrians were killed either when walking along the road, crossing on unsafe areas or without looking at both directions of the roads and for the kids while playing on the road.
We appeal to pedestrians to take precautionary measures while walking or crossing the roads. Please walk far from the road and try at all times to wear clothes which will make you visible to the drivers especially at night. The reduction of pedestrian fatalities depends on all road users, driver and pedestrians alike.
I therefore call upon all law enforcement agencies and our Road safety officers present here today, to work together with the people of the North West in achieving our intended objective because firstly we want to safe lives, defend our communities against unscrupulous criminals, and render our province and safe and free province.
By this, we will have achieved our commitment to Outcome 3 “That all people of South Africa are and feel safe”. We would have also contributed Global Plan for Decade of Action for Road Safety Campaign 2011 - 2020
To all the passengers, remember that a driver who is over speeding, driving an unfit vehicle is basically playing with your life and therefore it is your responsibility as a responsible citizen to report such a driver. If you allow them to continue like that, you are just as guilty as they are because you would have contributed towards any fatality that may happen or any criminal activity that occurs in your presence.
As I conclude, I would like to call upon all law enforcement agencies present here, to work throughout the festive season until the end of the Afcon tournament that will be held in Rustenburg, to work beyond the call of duty.
Don’t show mercy to any offenders or criminals. Government will support you and know that your services are of great important to this country and the province. We know that your families will miss you during the period, but when duty calls you must get up with pride and zest, and save lives.
Our communities hate crime. Let us ensure that they have an enjoyable and crime free festive season they deserve.
Ke a leboga.
