Minister of Police, the Honourable Mr Mthethwa
Deputy National Commissioners, Lt Gen Mbekela and Lt Gen Sitole
Acting Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Mothiba
Divisional Commissioner of ORS, Lt Gen Mawela
Metro Police Chiefs present
Major Generals and senior officers
Members of the news media
Members on parade
Good morning
On behalf of the Department of Police, allow me to extend a warm welcome to each of you to this truly important event.
When I say that it is a pleasure for me to welcome and address you this morning, I am not merely paying lip service to this phrase.
It is indeed a pleasure for me to see plans being put into action professionally and immediately.
Just two months ago we held a Public Order Policing conference here in Pretoria to plan on the way forward to ensure that we improve on our response towards the growing number of violent protests and unrest.
Now, just eight weeks later, we are witnessing the first group of 946 TRT and Metro Police members on parade having successfully completed a comprehensive Crowd Management training course.
This is the first time that Metro Police members have undergone such training together with SAPS members. I have been told that the Metro Police were fully integrated into platoons with our TRT police members and that a good working relationship has developed between the teams.
This training is as a result of us acknowledging that not only must we expand upon the Public Order Policing capacity, but we must also ensure that those members, who are often the first responders to protests, are capable and competent to maintain peace and stability without the loss of life.
I am fully aware that crowd management is often not a pleasant task, that your duties and intentions are to maintain peace but you suddenly become the target of the protestor’s anger and frustration. I ask you to always act in accordance with your training, with patience, temperance and utmost respect for the rule of law and our Constitution, which place great emphasis on human rights.
Congratulations to all members on parade, to the trainers and to the leaders who brought this together so efficiently.
I would now like to introduce our trainees to our keynote speaker, the Minister of Police, the Honourable Mr Nathi Mthethwa. Always remember that our Minister is supportive and sympathetic towards those members and stakeholders who uphold the law with pride and dignity.
