media briefing
13 March 2007
The JCPS media briefing will focus on the following main themes: Crime
prevention and public safety; strengthening the criminal justice system and
upholding national security.
Crime prevention and public safety: operations
A national instruction was given to all provincial commissioners to initiate
operations within their respective provinces to reduce serious and violent
crimes by between 7 and 10% under the auspices of Operation Iron Fist. These
operations resulted in the arrest of thousands of criminals guilty of
committing such heinous crimes as murder, rape and robbery. In addition,
special tracing teams were established to find and arrest persons who have been
linked to the commission of serious and violent crimes through finger-prints
and associated evidence. These teams have also been extremely successful in
bringing these culprits to book. Special mention must be made of the initiative
taken at national level to address cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies
through the airborne deployment of highly-trained police officials in
helicopters. This initiative drastically reduced response time to serious and
violent crimes at shopping centres, petrol stations and along busy routes.
Early indications are that aggravated robberies declined by more than 40% for
December. In order to improve the security of the country, a special operation
was launched in the border environment during November. This operation was
aimed at addressing all facets of border security, as well as managing the
traditional increase in festive season travel. The outcomes have been very
good, with vastly improved management of the border environment through an
integrated, inter-departmental approach. The partnership between the
departments of Public Works, South African Revenue Services, Safety and
Security, Defence, Home Affairs and Intelligence, has been strengthened to
improve the management of ports of entry and border line control.
Several joint operations were conducted resulting in outstanding successes,
especially in respect of the smuggling of marine resources.
Operation Rachel (cross-border operation) Oct 2006:
* destruction of 3 500 weapons
* various ammunition and explosive devices seized and destroyed
* Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative
* members from SADC were trained by the South African Police Service (SAPS) for
one month and operation commenced for 21 days in Mozambique.
Operation Zama Zama
* arrest of illegal miners
* 9 operations launched
* mines in Gauteng and Free State targeted
* arrested 74 illegal miners
* huge quantity of gold dust, cash, illegal explosives confiscated.
Cannabis spraying operations in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Eastern Cape, Lesotho
and Swaziland borders. Huge quantity of cannabis destroyed.
Festive Season operations formed part of Operation Iron Fist to combat
aggravated robberies (South African Banking Risk Information Centre [SABRIC],
South African Petroleum Industry Association [SAPIA], Consumer Goods Council,
Post Offices, Gaming Industry [Casinos], Pension Pay-outs). Air borne
operations launched in Gauteng (Johannesburg and Pretoria) (including SAPS and
Air Force Helicopters manned by National Intervention Unit (NIU). Operations
were planned according to hot spot analysis. + 320 hours flown. During this
period there was a 40% reduction in aggravated robberies.
Various operations launched in KZN, Western Cape and Eastern Cape involving
NIU units. Various arrests for serious crimes, confiscation of huge quantities
of drugs, stolen vehicles and illegal firearms.
The JCPS Cluster is working towards reducing the levels of crime by 7% to
10% per annum until 2014. During the reporting period, 2 917 law enforcement
operations (Operation Iron Fist) were launched focusing on contact crimes.
These operations led to the following arrests:
* murder: 2 038
* attempted murder: 1 236
* rape: 2 989
* indecent assault 327
* assault common 7 403
* robbery aggravated 3 700
* robbery 3 275
* 6 417 firearms have been recovered from day-to-day operations; 63 605
firearms have been destroyed.
These reports are compiled quarterly and are up to the period December
2006.
Repeat offenders: The repeat offenders' project has been extended to include
the following:
* suspects wanted on warrants of arrest for 3 or more crimes
* suspects identified at crime scenes by means of fingerprints and connected
with 3 or more crimes.
Feedback on arrests per defined criteria in terms of the project for the
period mid July to December is as follows:
* 1 297 suspects were arrested on 1 020 cases where the suspects were linked
by fingerprints on crime scenes to serious violent crimes e.g. murder,
attempted murder, rape, hijacking, armed robberies.
* 2 621 suspects were arrested on 2 483 cases on warrant of arrest for serious
crime.
* 1 335 suspects were arrested on 1 474 cases where repeat suspects were linked
by fingerprints to 3 or more crime scenes.
* 1 981 suspects were arrested on 2 925 cases were repeat suspects where
warrant of arrest were issued in 3 or more cases for all crimes.
* 154 suspects were arrested on 41 Operation Greed cases.
* A total of 6 388 suspects were arrested on 7 943 cases.
Revamping of Community Policing Forums (CPFs)
The partnership between the communities and the police with respect to
social crime prevention, especially serious and violent attacks, will be
strengthened. One of the ways of doing this is by revamping the Community
Police Forums (CPFs), which will not just be a link between the people and the
police but also an effective instrument to determine, together with the police,
the policing priorities of the areas where they exist. The CPFs will also
assess police performance on the basis of those priorities.
Partnerships
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is an
international civil society initiative supported by the United Nations and many
governments across the world - takes place annually from 25 November
(International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International
Human Rights Day). Government, together with business, civil society
organisations, state-owned enterprises, faith-based organisations, traditional
leaders and the media participated in this campaign that is aimed at raising
awareness of the negative impact that violence and abuse has on women and
children. The campaign focused on generating an increased level of awareness of
the negative impact of violence on women and children.
In May 2006, approximately 260 representatives from all spheres of
government, constitutional bodies, civil society; trade unions, faith based
organisations; traditional authorities, and international co-operating partners
including United Nations agencies signed the Kopanong declaration to propel the
implementation of the 365 days National Action Plan to end violence against
women and children.
The 365 days National Action Plan, amongst others, committed all
stakeholders to finalising a detailed action plan whose overarching objectives
are to: strengthen and place far greater emphasis on prevention through forging
effective partnerships with all stakeholders, including schools, parents
associations, community based organisations, the media, local government,
traditional and religious leaders and the private sector; as well as develop
criteria for monitoring the effectiveness of such campaigns.
Strengthening the Criminal Justice System
Transformation of the judiciary
"The transformation of the judiciary will be accelerated, guided by the
imperative to institute judicial accountability and the need to improve the
overall functioning of the Criminal Justice System with respect, particularly,
to case cycle times and conviction rates. As part of the process the Justice
College will be revitalised to comply with changes and developments within the
South African education and training environment."
Focusing on bills
Bills relating to the Transformation of the Judiciary: The Judicial Service
Commission (JSC) Amendment Bill contains procedures and mechanisms to handle
complaints against judicial officers. The Bill emanates from section 180 of the
Constitution, which provides that national legislation for any matter
concerning the administration of justice that is not dealt with in the
Constitution, including "procedures for dealing with complaints about judicial
officers." The Bill also makes provision for the establishment and introduction
of an asset register for judges, similar to that applicable to the Legislature
and Executive (Clause 13). This proposal is in line with international
standards and will address the recent incidents involving certain senior
judicial officers.
South African Judicial Education Institute Bill seeks to establish an
Institute responsible for judicial education and training of judicial officers
and aspiring judicial officers. There has been extensive consultation and
involvement of relevant role players in the process. This includes
establishment of an Advisory Committee on Judicial Education to draft a
framework for Judicial Education for the South African judiciary. The Advisory
committee is chaired by Deputy Justice and it includes the magistracy, the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) legal profession, academic
institutions.
Reducing the backlog of cases pending trial remains a key priority for the
cluster. A National Backlog Project was implemented to reduce the high volume
of backlog cases on the court rolls and to improve the efficient and effective
functioning of the courts. This project aims to reduce the court backlogs by
20% and District, Regional and High Courts between 16 August 2006 and the end
of June 2007 and to reduce the appeal backlog by 40%.
In general we view a backlog case in Lower and High Courts in the following
context:
* In the Lower Courts, it is a case that exceeds the cycle time of 6 months
from the date of first appearance in the District or Regional Court.
* In the High Court, it is a case that exceeds the cycle time of 12 months from
the date of first appearance in the High Court.
Factors that contribute to the backlog of cases include:
* The high level of non-attendance of court proceedings by accused (average
of 15 155 warrants of arrest per month).
* Incomplete investigations/ lack of forensic analysis capacity causing
unnecessary delays are furthermore detrimental to the backlog of cases
(National Prosecuting Authority audit of regional magistrate and high court
cases for 2005, indicate 23% of all such cases had to be remanded for further
investigation).
The e-Scheduler, a case management system, providing case management
information to enhance case planning and scheduling has been implemented in
more than 200 Courts and is being rolled out to all district courts in the
country. The target date for completion of the roll out is July 2007.
The system seeks to modernise the Court system through greater use of
Information Technology (IT). It allows the user to the generate information on
the Courts which indicate at which stage is the case including case number,
first appearance, last postponement date, no of days per case in the roll. The
system enables the Courts to identify and address backlogs and blockages. The
Justice Deposit Account System (JDAS) helps to improve the management of all
cash payments into and from the Courts. This includes management of cash monies
paid for maintenance and bail.
We are reconstructing the court administration system by way of a project we
have named Re Aga Boswa (We are building). The project is designed to employ
dedicated managers for the courts. We have appointed, for that purpose, 288
court managers across the country, thus strengthening capacity and improving
service delivery.
In order to deal decisively with white collar and gender based crimes, the
cluster will also intensify programmes to set up specialised courts to deal
with commercial crimes and cases related to women and child abuse. The National
Anti-Rape strategy will also be finalised this year to deal decisively with the
management of gender based violence. The strategy will provide impetus to the
work being done to reduce gender-based violence, improve reaction in cases of
gender-based violence and improve support for victims and witnesses in cases of
gender based violence.
Management of Awaiting Trial Detainees (ATDs): Department of Correctional
Services
Correctional Services has established a Remand Detention Project Team led by
a Chief Director to drive the implementation of a Cabinet directive of
establishing appropriate systems, facilities and technology to effectively
manage awaiting trial detainees (ATDs). Of the 159 000 incarcerated offenders,
47 042 are awaiting trail detainees, putting significant strain on already
congested facilities. The Remand Detention Project is meant to reduce risks
imposed by ATDs on public safety while improving compliance with constitutional
imperatives in terms of access to basic services like education, health and
other social services for those regarded as innocent until proven guilty. The
Project Team is already helping in accelerating the following
interventions:
* development of policies, appropriate legislation and procedures for
consideration and approval during the 2007-8 financial year
* identification of suitable facilities for conversion or dedicated use as
remand detention facilities across the country
* optimising the use of technology including the tracking and electronic
monitoring of the accused so that where appropriate non-custodial options are
utilised to also reduce overcrowding
* ensuring integrated information management system across the criminal
justices system for helping in decision making.
Development of the long term options for an appropriate, functionally
distinct and resourced remand detention system in South Africa with appropriate
staff, dedicated management system, dedicated remand detention facilities,
appropriate resourcing and budget to be tabled in Cabinet in 2008/9.
Construction of correctional centres
The construction of the Kimberley Correctional Centre is fully on course and
is set for finalisation before the end of the 2008-9 financial year.
Discussions are continuing between National Treasury, Public Works and
Correctional Services regarding among others ensuring availability of funds to
build the remaining planned facilities in a context of escalating costs that
are propelled by a huge demand in the infrastructure development programme
nationally.
Implementation of the Jali Commission recommendations
Progress is being made in implementing the recommendations of the Jali
Commission and the Department of Correctional Services expects to conclude all
cases and close the chapter by November 2007. A centralised Departmental Task
Team dealing with 106 outstanding misconduct cases has concluded 33 cases,
handed over 6 cases for criminal prosecution, is hearing 20 cases, handed one
case to SAPS and another case to Health Professions Council as they involved a
member of the SAPS and an independent health professional.
National Security: National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Several efforts and new approaches have been embarked on to increase
capacity at various levels in the Intelligence Services.
These efforts aim to improve the quality and relevance of the information
collected by the Services and to ensure greater delivery on the
counter-intelligence mandate. We strive to achieve the maximum use of resources
allocated to the Services and as such a priority area is the training of our
members. Improving the quality of instruction and the curriculum is ongoing and
we have already begun to transfer experienced officers to reinforce the panel
of instructors at the South African National Academy of Intelligence.
The training approach goes beyond just developing tradecraft or specialist
skills - but importantly is also aimed at ensuring that members of the Services
understand their functions within the framework of our Constitution and the
laws of our country.
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
13 March 2007
