MEC NOMANDLA BLOEM
NCPCPB QUARTERLY MEETING
09 JUNE 2023
KIMBERLEY
Programme Director
NC Provincial Police Commissioner Lt Gen Koliswa Otola/
Maj Gen L Ngubelanga: DPC Policing and Operations
NCPCPB Chairperson Mr T Molapo and District Board Leadership
HOD Rodney Pieterse
Religious and Community Leaders present
Stakeholders present
It is such an honour to be with you today, so thank you for the invitation. Whenever we assemble in this manner, we must ensure that we walk out having secured tighter bonds, sustained relationships and better functioning, as always, united by purpose and action, inspired by the preservation of peace and motivated by the realisation that none of our safety goals can be achieved alone.
We have just relaunched DevCom in the Province, that has at its core the goal a supported, strengthened Criminal Justice System that has all spheres of Government working in unity in our quest for justice and peace, for economic stability and in our continuous pursuit of prosperity for the people of the Northern Cape. We are looking forward to the coordinated work that will emanate from that platform.
The Minister of Police, in his Budget Vote, recently announced the theme this year as “Combating Crime through Decisive Police Action and Robust Community Involvement”. I do not think this leaves us any doubt to the importance of our ability to optimise not only our working relationship, but our ability to translate community safety needs into real protection.
Let me share with you the 10 Policing Commands he has issued:
- Increased Crime Prevention and Combating Action Plan
- Community Mobilisation and the Resourcing of the CPFs
- SAPS Recruitment and Expansion Interventions
- Capacitation of Detectives, DPCI and other Specialised Operational Units
- Gender Based Violence and Femicide and Improvements in DNA Processing
- Wellness, Discipline and Improved Police Morale
- Enhanced Policing Technology and the 4IR
- Police Visibility, Mobility and Rapid Response
- Building of Police Stations
- The Whole of Government and Whole of Society Approach in the Fight against Crime
With regards to the capacitation of CPFs, Minister Cele announced that R70 million has been allocated to provinces to support resource requirements such as vehicles, laptops, torches, reflective jackets and other tools of trade. In addition, a R5 million is also provided for community interactions in terms of Imbizo, awareness campaigns, summits and conferences.
With regards to above, a three-day CPF/Policing Indaba was concluded in the beginning of May, where these matters were raised and discussed. We are asking that we stay on top of resolutions made here and that we keep engaging National in terms of the modalities of the roll-out of funding allocated in this regard.
As we have new members, new leaders in certain spaces, HOD, I am asking that we take time to not only conduct and complete CPF training processes, but that we simultaneously workshop comprehensively our Northern Cape Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy with all members and stakeholders.
It is, for me, and for members of the community essential that our understanding of root and societal causes and contributors to crime is realised and, as such, how it influences our approaches. There are realities of poverty, unemployment and equality that remains an underlying cause of vulnerabilities to crime and criminality.
There are issues of substance abuse and, indeed, patriarchal norms and values that impacts the shape, form and victim of violence. All these complex matters must be understood by all of us if we want to make a real dent in being socially conscious and appropriately responsive.
The Department of Transport, Safety & Liaison has set its way forward for the year in terms of CPF support. HOD, these will form our core, fundamental goals and directives and must be approached with priority and care:
- establish and maintain the partnership between the community and SAPS;
- promote communication between SAPS and the community;
- promote co-operation between SAPS and the community in fulfilling the needs of the community regarding policing;
- improve the rendering of Police Services to the community at Provincial, Cluster and Local Levels;
- promote transparency and accountability of the Service to the community; and
- promote joint problem-identification and solving with the SAPS and the community.
After the successful Annual General Meetings that took place in the previous financial year at all levels, the department managed to mobilise the support from Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (National) and CPFs in all five the districts were inducted accordingly. Through the induction programme, CPFs were inducted on their mandate, policies and regulations to ensure that they effectively implement programmes in keeping our communities safer in line with the Northern Cape Crime Prevention Strategy.
We know and understand the limitations to attract, retain, and motivate CPF volunteers, which has resulted in partly-functional CPFs in the province. This results in CPF members not implementing projects, programmes and supporting operational activities.
The department assessed the following CPFs in quarter 4 to determine their functionality. The following CPFs were deemed functional:
* Deben : 12th January 2023
* Colesberg : 23rd January 2023
* Hanover : 22nd February 2023
* Kuyasa : 22nd February 2023
* Tsineng : 16th March 2023
* Kimberley : 23rd March 2023
* Windsorton : 23rd March 2023
There are serious challenges raised through our assessments of CPFs done by the Department. These are the matters relating directly to our community’s perceptions of their safety and their experience with regard to the responsiveness of our police.
We are finding, for example, that motor vehicles stay for long periods at SAPS Garages, which impacts negatively on the discharging of services or police mandate. This also impacts our ability to give transport support to CPF members and leaders to discharge their own duties, which must not be regarded as less important or urgent. CPF programming and its focused projects must be prioritised to such a level that it receives as much weight as targeted and specialised operations.
The Department will continue to ensure that CPFs are receiving the necessary capacity building workshops needed to enhance their skills and knowledge on matters of community policing. I must call on the Board to also, from their side, conduct regular assessments and oversight, in line with their own mandate and constitution, to ensure that CPFs at local and district levels are continuously supported and guided where necessary. On this we need to take the reigns in our own hands. We cannot always be waiting for others to better our situation when we have the power to push ourselves to greater levels of functioning.
CPFs should play a strategic role in narrowing the gap between communities and SAPS. This means the Board must have a keen understanding of police functioning and community characteristics. Not only this, the Board needs to actively promote broader and more committed levels of community participation everywhere. Raise awareness, and, through the discharging of your duties and the difference you make, inspire not only the confidence of the community but their willingness to step forward in the fight against crime.
I thank you
