Keynote address delivered by the Minister of Police, Gen BH Cele (MP) at Project 10 000 – passing out parade, SAPS Academy Mthatha, Eastern Cape
The National Commissioner of Police, General Masemola
The Provincial Commissioners of the Eastern Cape, Limpopo Province and the Northern Cape: Lt Generals Mene, Hadebe and Otola
The Divisional Commissioner for Human Resource Development, Lt Gen (Dr) Zulu
Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services, Lt Gen Senthumule
Divisional Commissioner for Inspectorate, Lt Gen Jacobs
All Generals, Brigadiers and Senior Officers of the SAPS
The Commander, management and personnel of the Mthatha SAPS Academy
Representatives of the Labour Unions – SAPU and POPCRU
Representatives from the Community Police Forum
Mr Mdontswa, the CEO of SASSETA
Representatives from our stakeholders: AVBOB, Liberty Life
Parents and relatives of all our Trainees
Constables on parade
All invited guests
Members of the Media
Good morning maphoyisa!
Greetings to you all! Molweni! Sanibonani!
Ladies and Gentlemen….
Today marks the culmination of nine months of intensive training undergone by a total of 552 trainees at three of our training academies. As we speak, our Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale is presiding over the passing out parade of 148 new Constables in Thabazimbi, Limpopo while the DPCI National Head, Lt Gen (Dr/Adv) Godfrey Lebeya is at the All Saints Academy, also here in the Eastern Cape, where 190 Constables are passing out.
Honourable Guests
Standing on parade here this morning are 214 new Constables. As indicated by the National Commissioner of Police in his welcoming address, these new Constables are the final batch of the Project 10 000, 2022 Intake.
The inaugural Project 10 000 is the outcome of the marching orders given to us during the 2022 State of the Nation Address where His Excellency, President of the Republic of South Africa, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa announced that, and I quote “We will make resources available to recruit and train and additional 12 000 new police personnel to ensure that the SAPS urgently gets the capacity it needs.” Unquote
To the new Constables
Today is affirmation that you are ready to join us in our concerted efforts to eradicate crime, to serve and protect the inhabitants of our beloved country, and to ensure that everyone in this country feels, and is safe and secure.
From time to time during our crime pattern analysis, we as Management, devise strategies and interventions to combat and prevent emerging crime trends. Therefore, your presence on this parade today, is one of our interventions to ensure that we have more boots on the ground to enhance police visibility.
You, as well as your peers at the All Saints and Thabazimbi Academies, will be deployed to our specialised units such as the Public Order Police (POP), the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) as we bolster our capacity to fight the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Femicide, as well as frontline service-delivery points at identified crime-heavy police stations.
We cannot wait to welcome you as you will be joining the multi-disciplinary, high density Operation Shanela that is being rolled out across all provinces since the beginning of last month.
You have been equipped with substantial insight into legislation that governs policing and being a police officer. Therefore, at all times, be mindful that whatever action you take in executing your duties, is done within the confines of the law. Be wary of temptation to commit corruption or conduct yourself in an unethical manner. This uniform must at all times be worn with pride and dignity, and abide with the SAPS Code of Conduct that was read out to you earlier.
Ladies and Gentlemen
At this juncture, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the trainees who have been recognised by the Academy’s Commanders, as having performed best in the following areas:
- Street Survival
- Law
- Physical Training
- Drill
Maphoyisa…
You will all be commencing with your workplace exposure duties after today. Therefore as I wrap up, it is important that you are enlightened that annually in September, the Department of Police observes Police Safety Month. During September, we remind our members to always be vigilant and tactically alert at all times. Criminals have become so desperate that they would not think twice to attack police officers – at times just for your firearm – or even because they see police as an obstruction to their criminal activities.
You have undergone the appropriate training and more so, the module for street survival, use of firearm and tactical policing. Over and above all the other learning areas, this street survival knowledge and skills, is what you will need at your fingertips in the execution of your duties. Your safety and security is of equal importance as that of the communities we serve. Always go back to what you learnt during your time at the Academies, and ensure that you stay safe.
National Commissioner
You commended Limpopo for having recruited the highest number of academic graduates who are in the majority in the parades today – especially here in Mthatha and at Thabazimbi where the Deputy Minister is presiding.
This is indeed commendable and bodes well for efforts to attract and recruit the finest into our ranks. Therefore, I want to encourage all the other provincial commissioners to follow suite and in fact, also ensure that we also attract other race groups.
This then brings me to the conclusion of the Keynote Address and, let me once again congratulate every Constable standing on parade today. We recognise and appreciate that you standing here, has come as a result of hard work and giving your all mentally, physically, and spiritually. So walk tall and hold your head up high. You deserve to be here.
Thank you Programme Director
