Meeting of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster Directors-General, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

The Directors-General of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster held their regular cluster meeting at the New Law Courts in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape as part of its activities with the business unusual approach to improve service delivery to the citizens. This is the third provincial visit, following KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.

The aim is to ensure greater insight into, and synergy between national and provincial priorities. Our visit today, which is in the spirit of business unusual is intended to give us an opportunity to interact with our provincial colleagues and gain first hand experience of service delivery at the grassroots level. This experience will prove invaluable in our daily management of the departments that comprise particularly the JCPS Cluster and the whole of government in general.

The meeting was briefed by Commissioner Mpumelelo Landu, the chairperson of the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, Joints, comprising mainly of South African Police Service (SAPS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and South African Defence Force (SANDF), who reported on the general situation with regard to crime and programmes to reduce crime in the Eastern Cape.

We were encouraged that overall the crime statistics had decreased in the province. In particular the contact crimes recorded a general decrease. However, it was worrying that the trio crimes, car-jackings, business and house robberies, showed an increase. Commissioner Landu alluded to a number of challenges which included long remands due to full court rolls.

The strategy adopted by the province to address crime included: establishing a provincial operational room using the methodology whereby crime intelligence and case docket analysis are used to identify and compile a list of active criminals involved in trio crimes; set up a Rapid Response Unit; tracing and investigation team were established; significant breakthrough has been made with regard to ATM bombings and cash in transit robberies.

It was notable that conviction rates in the District Courts were at 90% and those at Regional Courts were 58%; and High Courts were 92%. We also received a presentation from the Chairperson of the Provincial Integrated Justice System Development Committee, Mr Vuyani Mguqulwa. He provided a report on various milestones achieved by the development committee such as child justice forum, restorative justice programme, case backlog project, forensic science laboratory in Port Elizabeth and video postponement project.

The video postponement project makes it possible for an accused person not to appear physically in courts for the purpose of a mere postponement of the case. The system allows for the use of modern technology and the set up of "video-conference courts" to remand criminal cases against persons who are in custody awaiting trial. Apart from the regular meeting that was held in the New Law Courts in Port Elizabeth, we visited the Nerina One Stop Child Justice Centre in Schauderville.

This centre is one of three child justice centres established in the whole country, with the two other centres in Mangaung in Free State and Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. As part of promoting rights of the vulnerable groups, particularly children, this project is an intersectoral example involving key stakeholders. Under one roof, we have probation officers from Department of Social Development; prosecutors; police; officials from Correctional Services and the Department of Justice. Of critical importance is the presence of NICRO a non-governmental organisation (NGO). This creates a child friendly environment which prevents secondary victimisation through exposure to the perpetrators during the process of giving evidence. Young offenders are also counselled and supported emotionally to deal with the trauma they have experienced. We need to further consider that departments such as Education also play a role in this integrated facility.

Child Justice is an area of our work in which partnerships between government departments on one hand, and civil society on the other, are fundamental to the overall success of the strategy. These centres bear testimony to Government's determination to improve justice services for all sectors of our society, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalised. The centres provide a proper environment for administration of justice for the children and we hope to learn valuable lessons as we continue to roll-out the child justice centres.

We have also visited the Motherwell Police Station which is adjacent to Motherwell Court. Both the police station and the court buildings were recently erected, which indicate our commitment to improving service delivery to our communities. The Station Commander, Mr Johan Kapp, briefed us on the current state of affairs.

After this media briefing, we will be interacting with the representatives from the Community Police Forums. The Provincial Community Policing Forum (CPF) Chairperson, Mr Ray Maqutjane is expected to highlight various initiatives that are being undertaken to ensure the safety of the community and the fight against crime. We believe that the partnership between the police and the local communities is critical in reducing the levels of crime in our society so that we ACT together against crime.

Directors-General present:
* Adv Menzi Simelane, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
* Commissoner Vernie Petersen, Correctional Services
* Mr Mavuso Msimang, Department of Home Affairs
* Adv Mokotedi Mpshe, National Prosecuting Authority 
* Mr Silumko Sokupa, National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC)
* Deputy National Commissioner Andre Pruis, SAPS
* Lt General TT Matanzima,, SANDF 
* Provincial Commissioner Mpumelelo Landu, ,SAPS 
* Mr Vuyani Mguqulwa, Regional Head of Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
* Mr Lungile Mahlathi, Regional DPP
* Mr Joe Matshappa, Chairperson of the Motherwell CPF.

Enquiries:
Bongani Mlangeni
Cell: 073 525 3107

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster
2 September 2008

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