Introduction
Today, we want to share with you the various aspects of the submission we made to the recent Cabinet Lekgotla and the decisions that were taken further to advance the work of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster. Our submission, in the main, was an implementation report-back following the strategic decisions that were taken at the January Lekgotla. The matters we covered, therefore, will be familiar to the media given that we gave a media briefing after that Lekgotla.
The report we gave to the recent Lekgotla, therefore, dealt with the following aspects:
* the review of the criminal justice system serious and violent crime
* the detention and rehabilitation of offenders
* issues relating to migration
* the protection of major events.
Review of Criminal Justice System (CJS)
The Review of the Criminal Justice System has become the leading project of the JCPS cluster. It is the crucible that must temper the work of the Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS). The review, which was given impetus by the partnership we have with big business, seeks to overhaul the Criminal Justice System and through an effective system of management and co-ordination, define a process of seamless interconnection between investigations and arrests; prosecutions and adjudication, and detention and rehabilitation.
The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Johnny de Lange, has already briefed the media on what is entailed in the project and some of the work that has already been done en route to the implementation of all aspects relating to the revamp of the system. This briefing will not repeat what has already been announced, save to emphasise just a few points.
It is the cluster's intention to build a solid foundation for the overhauled system because an effective Criminal Justice System is the best guarantor for the reduction of crime. Our project drastically to reduce organised and serious and violent crime will produce better outcomes within the context of a better performing Criminal Justice System.
We are not going to given timelines for the completion of the project but only to say that there are aspects thereof, relating in the main to the establishment of the various structures that will be the bricks and mortar of the revamped system and administrative measures that will facilitate the work going forward.
Other changes we envisage may require amendments to the relevant law. Such changes, therefore, may have to be considered in next year's parliamentary programme as this year's list of new laws and amendments has been finalised.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is leading the project to revamp the Criminal Justice System.
Crime reduction
The cluster's Crime Reduction Project continues to be dictated to by the seven to ten percent annual target that was set by government in 2004. The 6,4% average reduction achieved during the 2007/08 Financial Year, while it still fell short of government's annual target, was an improvement on previous years.
Serious and violent Crime
The SAPS Annual Report for 2007/08 shows, yet again, that most cases of serious and violent crime happen to people who know one other, in circumstances where both victim and perpetrator are mostly found. The perpetrators are usually related to the victims or are family friends or acquaintances.
The report further shows that, within the context of those social crimes, there were 17 361 murders and attempted murder cases during that Financial Year. There were also 17 554 rape and attempted rape cases. There were 136 996 cases of serious and violent assault (91 509) and common assault (45 487).
More than one million and two hundred perpetrators were arrested for priority crimes (508 387) and other crimes (766 215).
Children in conflict with the law
We also raised at the Lekgotla the question of young people and violence. The matter has become topical in recent times because of some of the violent attacks young people mount against other youth, teachers and some members of society.
By the end of May there were 3 478 children in detention at various centres in the country. The figure includes children who are awaiting trial at the places of safety run by the Department of Social Development (1 669) and at Correctional Services facilities (820). Children already sentenced at correctional facilities are 889.
The top six crimes committed by children are murder, rape, serious and violent assault, robbery aggravated, house breaking and theft. There are 80 children who are serving sentences for murder. Five of them are girls. On hundred and fifteen (115) boys are serving sentences for rape. But, there are 130 other children awaiting trial who will face charges of murder. Four of them are girls. One hundred and seventy-eight (178) boys will face charges of rape.
The Lekgotla decided that government would put more resources to the Moral Regeneration Campaign to deal with social crime and children in conflict with the law. Of course, there will be an aggressive campaign to mobilise society, especially parents, to take responsibility for the upbringing of children to instil in them clean moral scruples.
Remand detention systems
The Cluster established an interdepartmental team to handle the matter of overcrowding of Awaiting Trial Detainees (ADTs) across the country, with a view to reducing overcrowding and enhance better management of ADTs. By the end of 2007/08 financial year there were 93 869 ADTs in South Africa.
Eleven remand detention facilities have been established at Pollsmoor, Grootvlei, Pietermaritzburg, Durban Medium A, St Albans, Pretoria Local, Johannesburg Medium A, Potchefstroom, Mthatha Medium Modderbee and Boksburg.
Migration
Border control system
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) met early last month to re-assess the country's border control strategy in order to address any weaknesses that may be militating against effective control measures.
It was consequently decided that there was an urgent need to define new tactics to deal with the matter. Advanced technology will be deployed to enhance border control. Such measures include the deployment on our borders of a new satellite system to be used for borderline and air surveillance. There will be greater use of various types of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft that will be fitted with technology that will enable them to download intelligence to command centres. Sensors linked to Echo stations will also be used at certain parts of the borderline. Observation posts will be established as part of the strategy to secure the country's borders.
Border patrols, to be divided into sectors to facilitate patrolling, will be comprised of carefully selected human resources. The patrols will be strengthened by airborne reaction teams.
Intelligence nodal points will be created to receive tactical intelligence. The intelligence community, working with the Organized Crime Combating Units, will identify areas of illegal crossing for the necessary intervention by the patrolling teams.
South Africa's radar picture is also receiving attention given its key role in air surveillance.
Urbanisation
Cross border migration was brought to the fore in a dramatic way recently, when criminal attacks were launched against some South Africans and foreign nationals.
Cross border and internal migration have become a serious problem for law enforcement. Both cross border and internal migrants establish themselves in informal settlements. Most of them have no jobs and live in squalor, while others are drawn into crime to make a living.
Most of the informal settlements have no properly laid out streets and have no street lighting. There are no reference points to facilitate investigations. Children in those areas have no access to recreation facilities to keep them away from crime.
Internal migration is a world-wide problem relating to urbanization. It has seen in South Africa the mushrooming of almost 3 000 informal settlements.
A study commissioned by the Department of Housing has revealed that between 1996 and 2001, 5,5 million people migrated across South Africa. The majority of those internal migrants went to urban areas. The consequence is that Gauteng has 639 informal settlements. It is followed by KwaZulu-Natal (618) and the Eastern Cape (416). Cross border migrants have found it easy to ensconce themselves into the informal settlements.
Some of those foreign nationals were targeted for attack recently. There were South Africans who were also attacked and, of the 62 people who were murdered in the frenzy, South Africans made up the biggest number as a block, at 22.
Reintegration
It is a matter of common course that the temporary shelters in Gauteng are going to shut down by the end of September in terms of the ruling the other day by the Constitutional Court.
Out of almost 40 000 people who were displaced as a consequence of the attacks on foreign nationals and some South Africans there are now just over 6 000 foreign nationals at the temporary shelters who have not been reintegrated. The greater number is in the Western Cape where 3 400 displacees are still at the shelters. In Gauteng there are 2 606 people at the shelters. The biggest number thereof is comprised of 1 580 people who are at the shelter near the Rand Airport.
The law-enforcement agencies arrested more than 1 000 people who are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, destruction of property and intimidation. A total of 1446 suspects, involved in 421 cases, are before court. The cases are at various stages of prosecution.
Cross Border Migration
The matter of cross border migration is one of the difficult matters that SADC is addressing as part of its Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons. The matter was on the agenda of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation when it met in Durban in July. The protocol has not entered into force because only nine member states have signed it.
Related to the Protocol is the implementation of the UNIVISA which should have been done by this year in terms of a decision by the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA). The UNIVISA is the Protocol on Development of Tourism that was signed by 13 member states in 1998.
The JCPS Cluster will be part of a special workshop that will be hosted by South Africa to deal with the matter.
Major Events
The SAPS will be responsible for securing large major events from July 2008 up to FIFA 2010 World Cup in June/July 2010. These include the FIFA Confederation Cup (2009); British Lions Rugby Tour (20 May to 4 July 2009); SADC Heads of State Summit (August 2008); Africa Diaspora Summit (7 to 12 November 2008); International World Health Conference (1 July 2009) and general elections (2009).
Security arrangements in preparation for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup include the deployment of a targeted number of 3000 Railway Police Officers who will be in place by 2010. The number will be boosted by 950 security guards to be deployed to 28 contact points and intercity rail travel, respectively.
Currently the security forces are conducting simulated operations in various provinces to showcase their readiness in dealing with the 2010 soccer event. Some of the simulations were conducted in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein. The Cluster is confident that the 2010 event will be successfully secured in the same way as we did during other major events.
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
25 August 2008
