PARLIAMENTARY MEDIA BRIEFING
February 15, 2005
INTRODUCTION
The Cabinet decided at its January Lekgotla that the Social and Economic clusters of government will work closely with the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster on the various projects that relate to crime prevention and combating. This will be especially the case with regards to social crime prevention. Most of the projects will be located in the priority crime areas where most serious crimes happen.
The Minister of Provincial and Local Government, Mr. Sydney Mufamadi, heads an inter-ministerial team to deal with this matter, comprised of the Ministries of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Finance, Housing, Minerals and Energy, Provincial and Local Government, Social Development and the security sector (Correctional Services, Defence, Intelligence, Justice and Safety and Security).
The inter-ministerial team will also interact with the Departments of Arts & Culture, Education, Health and Sport & Recreation on some aspects of social crime prevention (e.g. drug awareness).
The ministers will always be guided in their work by government’s Integrated Sustainable Rural Development and Urban Renewal strategies.
There will also be close collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism and Transport regarding questions of safety and security for tourists and public transport commuters leading up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Collaborative work in Local Government will include an interface with local structures in areas that fall, especially, within the spectrum of the priority crime spots. The idea is that every Integrated development Plan (IDPs) formulated by the relevant municipalities as well as the Provincial Growth & Development Strategies (PGDS’) articulated at provincial government level would incorporate safety and security measures for peace and stability in the concerned areas.
The upshot of this is that all the streets will be properly laid out to facilitate movement and quick response by law enforcement agencies, particularly those that will be deployed for sector policing. It also means that those streets will have adequate lighting to reduce street crime.
The strategy will also deal with the upliftment of children and young people by articulating plans to build for them the recreational facilities for sports, arts and culture as a means to deter them from substance and drug abuse and other crimes.
During the next ten years one of the key projects will be the campaign to eradicate informal settlements and slums and to build decent houses for the people. The informal settlements are becoming a percolator for crime because of the high levels of unemployment and illiteracy. Informal settlements are difficult to police because there are no proper streets and no house numbers as reference points. Given their nature, they have become havens for outlaws who are fleeing from the law enforcement agencies.
One of the major local government tasks this year will be the elections which are scheduled for later this year. The law enforcement agencies will provide security for the elections as they have done in the past. The elections will have to be held in a free, fair and secure environment in keeping with the laws of the country.
PARTNERSHIP
The JCPS cluster will consolidate its partnership with big business, the religious sector and community-based organizations (CBOs) concentrating in the main on the areas with high levels of crime. The cluster working together with the Community Police Fora and the Community Safety Fora will roll out a security programme which, among other things, will facilitate the correction and rehabilitation programme of the Department of Correctional Services and curb repeat offending.
Working with Big Business, the cluster will mobilize more resources for:
The new projects will also help the parole officers of the Department of Correctional Services to monitor and help parolees.
The concept of Community Development Workers (CDWs) has extended the area of impact for the peace and stability project as the CDWs will be contributing in the effort to provide a better life for the people, which is a key element of security and stability.
The cluster has started a pilot project in Gauteng, located at Sunnyside, Hillbrow and other centres to help homeless children. The departments that are involved in the project together with the Security Cluster are Arts & Culture, Education and Sport & Recreation.
The Johannesburg Metro and the Department of Public Works will provide accommodation for the children, where they will receive school lessons from qualified educators and be trained in arts, culture and sport.
We are also working with partners like the University of Pretoria to expose the concerned children to useful and productive opportunities so that, hopefully, they may not commit crime in the first instance. The ultimate objective is to re-unite those children with their families.
Further priority work by the individual JCPS cluster ministries will be as follows:
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
The most acute problem at Correctional Services at the moment is overcrowding. The JCPS cluster is considering changes in the sentencing regime in our courts so that alternative sentencing such as community correctional supervision for people convicted of petty crime could be explored.
Meanwhile, Correctional Services plans for the building of the new generation Correctional Centres (Prisons) at Kimberley, Klerksdorp, Leeuwkop and Nigel, are being implemented. The bulk earthworks contractor for three of the projects has been on site since November last year. The main building works will start in June this year and this project should be completed by March 30, 2007.
The next phase after the four new correctional centres includes the building of more similar centres in East London and Allandale, while a further two will be considered after feasibility studies in KZN Northen Cape and Limpopo.
All eight correctional centres will be built in terms of the New Generation Prototype and will have 3000 (Three Thousand) beds each.
The Directors General of the cluster have been instructed to speedily identify appropriate state owned facilities that can be converted into correctional detention centres, police stations and courts. The audit and discussions with the relevant departments will be completed by June. Correctional Services will use the new buildings for the accommodation of short-term inmates. Others will be designed for children in trouble with the law, as secure care facilities in all the provinces.
When the secure care facilities are operational all children in trouble with the law will be removed from the Correctional Services detention centres and placed in the new facilities, under the aegis of the Department of Social Development.
The Department of Correctional Services has decided to implement a seven-day-week regime, which is expected to save money for the recruitment of more correctional officials. The Department has been spending a lot of money on overtime pay for officials who have been working for years according to a five-day-week establishment. In the circumstances weekends have been regarded as overtime costing the department R916 m in the last Financial Year.
DEFENCE
In keeping with the Department of Defence strategy for a phased withdrawal from internal security to external peace support operations and the rejuvenation of the SANDF the process to transfer functions and personnel from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the South African Police Service’s Protection and Security Division is continuing.
The first group that is undergoing training in the police will complete their course this month.
This priority includes the successful migration of present SANDF responsibilities, tasks and activities to the South African Police Services (SAPS) in order to release SANDF forces to pursue government’s regional and continental obligations to peace support, conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.
All aspects of the SANDF Exit/SAPS Entry strategy will be executed in a well-planned fashion so as to avoid the creation of any ‘security vacuum’. The various implementation plans are scheduled for completion by March 2009.
This process is linked to the phasing out of the SANDF Commando system which entails the closure of 183 SA Army Commando Units and 18 Army Group Headquarters.
Borderline Control as a SANDF function has been transferred to the SAPS in a phased approach which started this year with borders like Botswana and Namibia where the SANDF did not have any specific deployments.
Phased withdrawal from internal security notwithstanding the SANDF will assist the SAPS when required to do so with joint operations as far as identified priority areas are concerned.
INTELLIGENCE
The Ministry for Intelligence Services is leading the cluster in the review of the country’s National Security Strategy. This will result in an updated and comprehensive framework for dealing with the security challenges facing South Africa. Proposals on national security will be presented to government at the next Cabinet Lekgotla in July. Particular attention will be paid to global developments, improved coordination within the intelligence community, intelligence sharing and cooperation.
In August 2004 the Intelligence Services played a leading role in the establishment of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) at a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. The role of this committee is to contribute to the goal of peace and stability on the continent of Africa, to develop a common intelligence perspective and approach to the security challenges facing the continent, and, to give mutual support for intelligence capacity building. It is envisaged that the committee will be incorporated, as a technical committee, into the Peace and Security Commission of the African Union (AU).
Intelligence coordination will be enhanced through the drafting of regulations. Specific focus areas include Counter Intelligence and Crime Intelligence. The first draft regulations on the coordination of intelligence as an activity and the production and dissemination of intelligence are expected to be ready by later this year. These regulations are in line with Section 6 (1) of the National Strategic Intelligence Act.
A roundtable discussion on the challenges of coordination of intelligence is also planned.
Improving the capacity of the Intelligence Services remains a critical priority for 2005 and will soon result in proposals to Cabinet on how to expand the existing vetting capacity. New approaches to training are also being considered including ‘training the trainer’ programmes, forging partnerships with external institutions and harnessing the expertise of former intelligence officers.
JUSTICE
The Department of Justice and Costitutional Development is leading a process within the cluster to review the integrated criminal justice system with a view to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. The review is intended to strengthen the coordination within the criminal justice system. Measures will be put in place to ensure the proper handling of criminal investigation dockets, better and efficient ways of steering cases through the judicial system, among other things, to reduce case backlogs and better management of community service sentences and the parole system.
Crucial Bills before Parliament
In transforming the sector, there are a number of crucial bills under review that have been prioritized in light of their importance to the overall transformation of the legal sector and the judiciary.
We are happy to announce that the Black Administration Act will be repealed this year and will be before Parliament.
Transformation
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has begun work towards the development of a legal services charter. December 3rd 2004 saw the first exploratory meeting taking place wherein the legal sector, governmental and other private businesses showed great interest in this process.
A concept paper on the Transformation of the Judicial System covering the various transformational themes and approaches will be tabled before Cabinet in April this year. The concept paper will elaborate on the following themes which have dominated the discourse on the transformation agenda: · Separation of powers and judicial accountability · Rationalisation of courts and the redefinition of service delivery points (magisterial districts) · Human Resource development and extension of judicial education to all members of the judiciary (including judges) · The promotion and usage of African languages in court proceedings · Modernising justice services · Alternative Dispute Resolution and restorative justice
The Superior Courts Bill, the Justice College Bill and the Charter are key to the achievement of these objectives.
Court Efficiency
Following the establishment by the cluster of 46 Integrated Case Flow Management Centres there has been a marked improvement regarding case backlogs. In light of this the cluster will continue with the implementation of its intervention and expand the lessons learned.
The establishment of commercial crimes courts is well under way with new courts having been established in Port Elizabeth and Durban. The Durban court was officially opened in November 2004. Both are already adding considerable value averaging 88% conviction rates due to highly specialized personnel. Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Germiston have been identified as the next sites for such courts. Feasibility studies are underway.
Community courts are also already in operation in Cape Town, Gugulethu and Mitchell’s Plain and are yielding good results since operating on a trial basis since November 2004. Up next is Umtata (EC), Bloemfontein Central, Phuthaditjaba (FS), Thoyandou (Limpopo), Kimberly (NC), Kwa-Mashu (KZN) and Orlando (Soweto-GP).
Given the success of the twenty dedicated sexual offences courts, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has embarked on feasibility study in the hope of rolling out more sexual offences courts. Twenty-five sites have been identified for this purpose. The recruitment process for prosecutors in these courts is underway.
Service Charter for Victims of Crime
Training of trainers began in November 2004 and is coming to a head in February 2005. The Charter has been translated into 10 additional languages and Braille. The Department has also embarked on an educational campaign on all African Language Stations from February 1, 2005 to March 31st 2005. These talk-show programmes are conducted in the local languages and are aired once a week. The response has been positive.
Priority will be given to this matter in the new year especially the need to avail additional resources towards sustaining its implementation. Provincial Directors-General have been tasked with ensuring to the training service providers and request due to be made to the Premiers to supervise this process.
POLICE
The South African Police Services in cooperation with other departments, Provincial and Local governments, profiled 63 police station areas in terms of root causes of crime for development intervention.
This exercise has worked well leading to the extension of the net to 169 police station areas which are responsible for 50% of all contact crime in South Africa.
This strategy will assist in meeting the 7% - 10% crime reduction target of government over the next five years.
The police have strengthened the crime prevention, crime intelligence and detective services to meet the objectives of the strategy to reduce crime.
Since May last year the police have been working together with other components of law enforcement and have arrested at our borders 11549 suspects involved in vehicle theft, drug smuggling, firearm-related crimes and the production and use of fraudulent documentation. A total of 625 stolen or hijacked vehicles were recovered.
In the period between May 21 2004 until the end of January 2005, the police arrested the following number of suspects in the 63 priroty areas:
Further, 278 organised crime leaders and 896 runners were arrested on charges relating to organized crime. Following the arrest of those criminals, more information came to light implicating accomplices. Consequently, the police netted a total of 3810 suspects in connection with organized crime of which 633 have already been convicted.
As the President indicated on Friday, 168 criminals have been arrested from the list of 200 top criminals he announced in his State-of-the-Nation-Address in May 2004.
Raising this matter then, the President said:
“in the next three months we will set up Special Joint Teams to target and focus on serious crime with an immediate objective of apprehending the top 200 criminals in the country, using all legal instruments to bring them to justice”.
These are suspects who had committed at least two or more crimes of murder, rape, robbery, cash in transit and bank robberies as well as commercial and organized crime.
The police have arrested 55 of the 56 suspects they were looking for involved in violent crime. All 6 serial rapists/murderers the police were investigating have been arrested. The police arrested the 18 suspects they had targeted, involved in organized crime. The DSO arrested 10 targets in connection with organized crime.
The 10 joint projects between the Police and Scorpions, in search of 68 organised crime targets saw the arrest of 39 of them.
The law enforcement agencies are now looking for 32 criminals to complete the arrest of the 200 top criminals. The 32 are as follows:
Violent Crime = 1 Commercial Crime = 2 Organised Crime = 29
The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has a civilian police component. This is the first time on the African Continent that the police are deployed for peace keeping. Sixteen nations have promised to provide police members for this structure. Three countries have already contributed members.
The South African Police Service will deploy 100 towards this effort. An advance party has already been sent to Darfur. A SAPS Director will head the AMIS Civilian Police.
The first phase of the deployment of members of SAPS to replace the SANDF for borderline work started in September when the members were deployed on the RSA/Namibia/Botswana borders.
The police and the defence force of Botswana are working with the police on the Northern Cape/Botswana border. Further deployment on the RSA/Botswana border will link Botswana to the North West. This will be done next month.
The RSA/Lesotho border has units on the Eastern Cape/Lesotho and Free State/Lesotho borderlines. The KZN/Lesotho border has regular police patrols. Fulltime deployments will happen at a later stage.
The borderline operation on the Eastern Cape/Lesotho border in the Rhodes area is assisted by Police Reservists and members of the Commandos, on a 50/50 split in the case of the latter two.
The South African Police Service has identified the following strategy as a means to address the continued safety and security of South Africa=s inhabitants, in particular in terms of rural safety, during the phasing out of the commandos:
$ Implementation of Sector Policing in rural areas $ Increased recruitment and optimal utilization of reservists $ Establishment of Area Crime Combatting Units $ Increased South African Police Service personnel levels
A Joint Task Team has been established and is currently visiting the provinces to assist in the implementation of the rural safety strategy, as well as the rolling out of joint provincial implementation plans to ensure continued high levels of rural safety.
The above strategy will enable the South African Police Service to:
$ Increase police visibility in rural areas; $ provide a blanket coverage of police presence; $ enable enhanced response times; $ create a more effective and efficient policing in rural areas.
The protection of women and children against abuse is one of the critical challenges facing government. To this end the cluster has allocated more resources with a view to improving our response and operationalisation of more sexual offences courts as part of our strategy.
We are happy to announce that the cluster has conducted two detailed reviews of our existing systems and responses to those crimes.
South Africa has been part of the 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children endorsed by the UN. This campaign has become an effective tool to mobilize the victims and broader communities to report incidences of abuse so that perpetrators can be brought to justice.
The challenge, each year, is to deepen and broaden awareness of gender-based violence and child abuse by bringing new partners and constituencies into the campaign.
Increasing participation by Business and the NGO sector is an encouraging indicator of the campaign’s ability to achieve a greater awareness of its messages by civil society.
The media have been playing a leading role in putting across the message of no violence against women and children. Accordingly we would like to thank the media for its contribution in ensuring the success of the campaign.
ENDS
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