Minister calls for more businesses to join government's crime-fighting programmes

Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) needs to improve its reach to as many businesses as possible as part of its partnership with government in fighting and reducing crime. That is according to Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa when addressing the BACSA breakfast meeting in Sandton, Gauteng today.

Among the challenges still confronting the South African Police Service (SAPS) is the need to ensure improved effort in bringing down crime within the small business sector. In this regard, there are various ongoing projects around the country, whose focus is to look at ways in which to reduce vulnerabilities among the medium and small business environment.

“Without suggesting the overstretching of the resources of business, it is nevertheless crucial that the interpretation of the interests of the business community should also be enlarged to encompass the need for broader social stability, peace and development,” said the Minister.

He emphasised that such an understanding will ensure that government and its stakeholders evolve interventions that are better focused and have potential for longer term applicability and impact. However, the Minister emphasised that the crime-fighting initiatives rely on strong partnerships. He added that in using the resources, skills and capacity of partner’s police can find ways of maximising their strength and at the same time minimising their weaknesses.

“Effective contemporary crime prevention relies heavily on partnerships and multi-agency approaches. These endeavours involve the utilisation of different resources, skills and capacity. Some of these resources and capacities are not available within the police themselves.”

In this connection, both SAPS and BACSA are engaged in a process of defining and formalising this partnership against crime.

“We envisage that at the end of this process, a memorandum of understanding will be entered into. To this end, a draft memorandum has been developed and is being considered by the parties,” added the Minister.

Minister Mthethwa used the occasion to also clarify to the business leaders, the ongoing widespread, albeit premature debate on the intended amendments to section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

“The amendments to section 49 are aimed at clarifying ambiguities. We need to point out that many in our society, including the media, have sensationalised and misinterpreted this issue. There has been a general failure to recognise that the use of deadly force already applies in the current section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act.”

He pointed out that the amendment is not intended to allow for trigger-happy police officers, but the clarifications will assist in ensuring that law enforcement officers are better able to understand their responsibilities.

“Once effected, the changes will leave police in a situation where they will be less open to uncertainty when applying force. It needs to be made clear that the amendments to section 49 speak to our ability to deal with violent criminals who place lives of both police officers and the public in danger,” added the Minister.

BACSA has established itself as a dependable partner in the fight against crime in our country. It has a highly capable leadership and clarity of vision. The Ministry of Police remains immensely proud of its partnership with BACSA.

Enquiries:
Zweli Mnisi
Cell: 082 045 4024

Issued by: South African Police Service
28 October 2009

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