Minister of Police Budget Speech

Minister of Police, Mr Bheki Cele, gave his South African Police &Independant Police Investigative Directorate Budget Vote Speech on the 15 May 2018

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp2ngnLKoXk

Honourable Chairperson;    
Honourable Ministers present;    
Honourable Deputy Ministers;    
Chairperson and Members of    the Portfolio    Committee on
Police;    
Honourable MECs present;    
Members of Parliament;    
Heads of entities within the ministry Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen

Thuma Mina Greetings to all the honourable members of this house and fellow South Africans.
 
The year 2018 demands a dedicated and more meaningful emphasis to what  informs our fundamental existence as the police service towards the successful delivery of our constitutional mandate as stipulated in section 205 of the constitution which reads I quote:

“Section 205(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa directs that the South African Police Service must prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, and to uphold and enforce the law”. Unquote.

Chairperson, in line with the mandate of our government, it is imperative to dedicate this budget vote speech to honour all women and Children who have been the victims of gender based violence. The Theme “Safety of Women, Children and vulnerable group is the brighter future of South Africa”

This inhuman scourge is fiercely eating the moral fibre in our society and is belittling the dignity of Inzalabantu yezwe kanye nabantwana bethu. The time to say never again is Now!

Mr President the police are taking the Thuma Mina call to the streets of South Africa to Bring down the scourge of crimes against women and children and vulnerable group of our society! Sonke Sithi Ngeke! Sobe! Phinde!

We say this as a befitting commemoration to the centenary celebration of former President Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu. Former President Nelson Mandela, once said in his book Long Walk to Freedom I quote:
“As a tribute to the legions of women who navigated the path of fighting for justice before us, we ought to imprint in the supreme law of the land, firm principles upholding the rights of women. The women themselves and the whole of society, must make this a prime responsibility. Domestic violence, rape, abuse of women remain disgraceful blots on the reputation of a country that is called a miracle nation. I’ve never regarded women as in any way less competent than men.” Unquote.

Chairperson, we reaffirm our commitment to a vision of a society where women and children will be able to enjoy all their liberties as enshrined in our Constitution, wherein they will be able to walk freely without any fear of being confronted with the possibilities of being murdered, raped, and assaulted.

Chairperson, we have invited some of the family members of the victims of crimes against women and children and vulnerable groups, can I ask all of them to stand and be acknowledged. We are calling for a partnership with all the sectors of our society to fight the scourge of violence against women and children. We also have invited the Ambassadors of the Department of Police, who are serving as a force multiplier in spreading the message against this scourge.

Priorities of the Police

Any type of crime is a priority of the South African Police Service, however, this year we will prioritise and intensify the fight against crimes against women and children and vulnerable groups. This implies that crimes against women and children and vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, people with the albinism condition and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people will be treated as priority crimes. The scourge of violence against these groups cannot and will not be tolerated and civil society and communities must stand as one together with the

Police, to root out these crimes.

In addition, I have directed that the Police address incidence of drug and substance abuse, as a driver of crimes against women and children and vulnerable groups.  Cyber-crime affects every
 
single person in South Africa, irrespective of their economic or social status. More will be done to improve the prevention of cyber-crime but specifically the Police’s ability to investigate these crime once reported. The recent spike in banking and cash-in-transit-related crimes is a cause for concern. This category of crime, like many other, impacts directly on the economy of country and the perpetrators will not be allowed to act at will, plundering cash resources which fuel the economy.

The recent increase in violent public protest places the lives of citizens in danger and threatens the stability of communities. The Police are frequently required to react to violent public protest as a result of factors beyond their control. This, no doubt, requires a greater commitment to service delivery but also requires the Police to act with professional constraint.

The illicit economy is draining valuable resources away from the state and its citizens. The combating of crimes in this space will be prioritised during 2018/2019, including illicit mining and the various methods of grand scale tax evasion, such as the trade in illegal cigarettes.

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit

Given the identification of 2018/2019 as being the year of women, children and vulnerable groups as victims of crime, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Investigation Service becomes extraordinarily important. There are currently 183 FCS Units which creates a specialist investigative environment to deal with gender-based violent crimes including sexual offences, with a focus on serial rape- related cases, child pornography and crimes facilitated by electronic media. Furthermore, the Police has established 1 047 dedicated victim friendly facilities at police stations countrywide to accommodate and assist victims. The positive impact that the establishment of these dedicated units have is evident in the recent conviction of Mr. Mantswe who killed Karabo Mokwena. The accused was sentenced to 32 years imprisonment by the South Gauteng High Court.

During the financial year 2017/18, 692 life sentences were meted, 30521 number of years were handed, and 3234 of dockets were registered. All these cases relate to the violent crimes committed against women and children in our Republic. We therefore make a clarion call to the Criminal Justice System to deal decisively against the perpetrators of gender based crimes irrespective of their social, political and economic status.

Drugs and Substance Abuse

Chairperson, the primary victims of drugs and substance abuse are invariably those who are most vulnerable in our society, including women, children and the elderly. During 2018/2019, the Police will focus on three levels of the drug value chain, which are:

• International    and    domestic    organised    crime    drug syndicates (addressing highflyers).
• Drug manufacturers (domestic drug laboratories).
• Drug cultivation (cultivation of cannabis and  targeting hydroponic dagga laboratories).

Increased illicit drug use and alcohol consumption, are some of the main contributors to the perpetration of violent crime. The numerous and significant illicit drug seizures, by authorities at international airports and at ports of entry, point to South Africa being considered a lucrative market for international drug syndicates. Chairperson allow me to thank my predecessor the former Minister of Police Mr Fikile Mbalula for stabilizing crime within OR Tambo International Airport. We will continue with the strengthening of the multidisciplinary approach in responding to any threat of the safety our economy and its inhabitants.

We will be intensifying our campaigns by working together with our sister departments and relevant stakeholders in fight against drug and substance abuse. In this regard, we call upon the Liquor Licensing Boards, Municipalities and Community Members to work very close with the Police in ensuring that the laws governing the issuing of liquor licences are adhered to. We further urge all Liquor Outlets/Operators to adhere to the strict rules of alcohol sale to the public especially where the proximity of such outlets is not adhering to the requirements as prescribed. (Schools, and places of worships).

Trio crimes (house robberies, business robberies and carjackings), robberies with aggrevating circumstances and taxi violence

The increase in the incidence of Trio Crimes, which comprise carjacking, house robbery and business robbery, has prompted the Police to adopt an aggressive approach towards the prevention, combating and investigation of these crimes. A National Trio Crimes Task Team was officially established to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to these crimes. The task team developed the National Trio Crimes Action Plan to address trio crimes and aggravated robberies in the Top 20 Trio Crime Clusters with effect from the 1st of April 2017. As part of the implementation of this action plan, the Police is working closely with partners in the security, banking and transport industries.

In addition, the top 20 Clusters in the country have been allocated additional resources, including response vehicles and additional funding for overtime. All nine provinces have established investigation teams that focus primarily on the investigation of Trio crimes. The National Prosecuting Authority has also committed dedicated prosecutors to guide police investigations and prosecute identified suspects. During the 2017/2018 financial year, the Police, in conjunction with the NPA achieved 360 guilty verdicts for carjacking, 1 064 for house robberies and 635 for business robberies. In addition, in a total of 42 cases, 46 life sentences were handed down to the convicted individuals.

The Trio Crime Combating Interventions which have been put in place  to  intensify  the  prevention  and  investigation  of  house robberies, business robberies and hijackings as well as to trace and apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes, will be enhanced. The teams in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, which have the highest contributing stations in terms of reported incidents of Trio crimes, will work tirelessly. The teams included members from Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing, Tactical Response Team, Public Order Policing94, Detective Service and the Organised Crime Unit which will be further capacitated. Nonetheless minimum success has been achieved during June to August 2017. The teams apprehended 307 suspects and confiscated 43 firearms, 209 rounds of ammunition and recovered 88 stolen or hijacked vehicles.

Taxi Violence

Chairperson, we are in a process of overhauling Crime Intelligence .Regular threat assessments relating to public transport industry will be conducted thereby enabling the police to pro-actively act on information relating to any early warning in the taxi industry.  There is a need to enhance cooperation with
 
the Department of Transport to ensure the proper regulation of the industry.

Violent Public Protests (Public Order Policing)

The increase in the number of  public demonstrations, which attracted media attention globally as well as the findings of the Farlam Commission necessitated urgent intervention and a holistic approach to address the challenges experienced with Public Order Policing (POP) in the country.

For the period, 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2017, a total number of 10 711 crowd-related incidents were responded to and successfully stabilised, including 8 133 peaceful crowd-related incidents and 2 578 unrest-related incidents.

Chairperson, we call upon our sister departments to ensure that these service delivery protest are avoided through other means rather that those which end up being crime.  These also put a strain in both our human and physical resources which are redirected to address crime caused by service delivery.

The Police intends to increase the number of POP units with additional 5 and there are also four units will be reserve units, specifically to reinforce other units. The POP personnel strength will be increased to respond effectively and efficiently to public protests in the country. In addition this year 3 825 members are currently undergoing basic training will also be trained in crowd management.

Organised Crime

Chairperson, the evolving nature of organised crime and the rapidly changing nature of information and communication technology, which organised crime syndicates use to advance their criminal activities, negatively impact on the overall stability and economy of the country, general perceptions of safety and security and the ability of the police to prevent, combat and investigate these types of serious crimes. It therefore became imperative for the Police to establish an effective approach for the identification and analysis of organised crime threats impacting on the country and its citizens.

Crime Prevention

Policing is without doubt a labour-intensive exercise but more must be done to improve police visibility as one of the primary deterrents of the perpetration of crime. Police visibility comprises a number of dimensions, including police officers, marked police vehicles and police contact points, such as police stations and mobile contact points. I have also directed that the Police to reactivate enhance the Blue Light Campaign especially during the peak hours, afternoons and the evenings.

Tactical Response Teams and Tracking Teams

Chairperson we will be capacitating, revitalising and enhancing the capabilities of the Police’s Tactical Response Teams (TRT) as well the Tracking Teams through resources and skills development. We will be training 154 TRT members of 34 will be deployed in Engcobo and 120 to be deployed around Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Mitchells Plain.

Chairperson this morning we launched the ‘’Operation Thunder” consisting of members from specialized units from other provinces, to deal with crime in the Western Cape. We will be here over a three months painting the Western Cape Blue.

Within the next few weeks, the TRT and Tracking Teams will be deployed in medium to high risk tactical intelligence operations dedicated to fight Cash-in-Transit Heist, armed robberies, murders, taxi violence and political killings.

Chairperson we want to reassure the people of South Africa that we are in a process of responding to the ongoing alleged political killings. The President his Excellency the honourable Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa has put together a team of ministers to deal will the attacks in Kwa Zulu Natal. In the next few days we will be announcing intervention measures address to the killings.

These deployment are not only limited to the areas mentioned but we will be deploying and fighting crime from Kwa Mashu in KZN to Seshego in Limpopo to, from Umtata in the Eastern Cape to Mafikeng in the North West, Cape Flats in Cape Town to Eldorado Park in Gauteng. In Gauteng we are now ready to respond to the cash heist that has nerve-wracking in the Province.

Chairperson now is the time to reclaim our space and squeeze all criminal spaces where they exist, without hesitations, fear or favour.

Police Staff Compliment

The Police will maintain a staff compliment of 98% during the 2018/2019 financial year. Specific emphasis will be placed on the appropriate capacitation of the Detective Service (FCS, Organised Crime, Commercial Crime and Cyber Crime), Visible Policing  (POPS,  TRT,  Tracking  Teams,   etc.)  and  Crime Intelligence (Intelligence gathering and analysis). Police station capacity will be a focus point and to this extent, 60% of entry level recruitment posts will be allocated to stations.

Currently, the allocated staff establishment at police stations, is 120 475. This allocation will not be affected by the reduction in the compensation budget of the Police. The annual enlistment, which is mainly a replacement of annual losses, due to natural attrition, will also be undertaken during 2018/2019. In order to increase the current staff establishment at station level, the Police will focus on filling the 1041 vacant posts at police stations, which were created by the re-establishment of specialised units. In addition, all identified national units, operating at local level will be decentralised to be commanded by station or cluster commanders.

Approximately 6 000 members will be de-escalated to that level (i.e. Railway Police, identified Ports of Entry, Crime Intelligence & other uniformed functional members, identified through rationalisation). 

The  planned  allocated  staff  establishment  at police stations, for 2018/2019, is 61,98% and priority will be given to the 30 identified crime weight police stations whereby Major Generals will be deployed as Station Commanders.

The rationalisation is aimed at enhancing command and control ensuring that there is immediate decision making at local level.

The Department of Police will do more to attract and retain scarce skills such; as Artisans, Pilots and Auditors as we have done with the 1041 Scientists. If need be we will tap in to services those who have been previously in the organisation and excelled .In our midst chairperson allow me to introduce to you our female Cadets who will be qualified pilots in this financial year. We will be implementing the retention policy aimed at addressing loosing scares skilled personnel.

The enhancement of the Police’s Crime Detection capability Chairperson, in due course we will be announcing the appointment of the new DPCI Head. This appointment will ensure that there will be stability within the Directorate and focus in the
 
fight against priority crimes in our country. Enhancing Capacity within both the detectives and the DPCI will ensure that the long unresolved cases are dealt with and finalised.

Firearm Amnesty

This year, the Cabinet has approved Firearm Amnesty due to the high number of illegally possessed firearms, which are in circulation in South Africa and the fact that firearms are a major contributor to crime. The objectives of the 2018 Firearm Amnesty is to:

• Reduce the number of illegal firearms.
• Provide  firearm  owners  with  the  opportunity  to  hand  in unwanted firearms.
• Prevent crime and violence and promote safety.
•  Address    the    fundamental    causes    of    crime,    in    order    to effectively protect our communities.
•  Ensure people living in South Africa feel safe and have no fear of crime. 

Chairperson, in due course we will be making an announcement about how the process will unfold. We urge communities to voluntary surrender their legal and illegal firearms and will provide amnesty for possession of illegal firearms.

We making call for action to the community to make use of this opportunity since we are going to have no mercy when we deal with any unlawful possession of firearms.

Police Safety

Chairperson, the safety of the police men and women is a priority for Government. The manner in which our police officers are attacked and killed undermines the integrity of the State, safety and security of our citizenry. The prevention and combatting of crime in our country requires inter-alia partnership between the Police, communities and all stakeholders. At the cornerstone of this partnership, it will be prudent to have police officers who are highly motivated, competent and dedicated to their tasks to fight crime.

The Police have implemented a number of measures to combat this scourge.

• A Police Safety Committee has been established at inclusive of the Civilian Secretariat for Police.
• An integrated approach to addressing police safety through community awareness & mobilisation, as well as interdepartmental cooperation, in an effort to expedite court processes, ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators (police murders) & facilitate policy or law reform to define the murder of our police officers as a crime against the State.
• September is declared by Police the as Police Safety Month, we will continue to create awareness about personal and operational safety and security of our police and our police stations
•  We will be launching the Safer City Programme in all Provinces
•  Also we will be enhancing the Implementation of the Rural Safety Programmes

Professionalizing the Police

Chairperson the department will continue to render professional services in line with the Batho Pele to all citizens of South Africa. Joining the SAPS should be seen and promoted as a career of choice.
This year in commemorating the Public Service Week in June, we will be launching the Anti-Corruption Strategy. Furthermore priority will be on institutionalising and internalising the South African Police Code of Conduct, Ethical and Integrity Leadership as well as continuing with the life style audits.

I have directed all entities reporting to the Ministry of Police to be exemplary in discharging of their constitutional obligations.

Chairperson, I am resolute towards ensuring that consequence management will be applicable to hold accountable all members without fear and favour for non-performance.

IPID

Chairperson, IPID has achieved significant success in the fight against corruption. It will intensify the fight against corruption, fraud and maladministration conducted by the members of the service. The IPID encounters many challenges, which includes amongst inadequate funding and resources. I have directed IPID and the SAPS Management to work very close in the execution of their mandates, this will allow the smooth functioning of both sectors thus allowing effective cooperation.

The IPID has been directed to root out any form of transgression within the service irrespective of the position of the alleged transgressor.

We hope in so doing that public confidence and moral will be restored thus, enhancing social partnership between the service and the communities.

I want IPID to develop a mechanism to contribute towards corrective measures, and a quick resolution of cases.
 
Wellness of Police Employees

Chairperson, specific focus will be placed on the improvement of the wellness of our employees through the institutionalization of the department’s newly approved employee fitness, health and wellness policies (I am sure you will recall “chest out, stomach in”? This will not change much, what I am looking for now is simple, “chest out, stomach in and do the right thing”). The Police’s Fitness Programme will be revitalised during 2018/2019 to ensure that all members are operationally ready to serve and police communities.

The Police will review its career progression measures and will implement appropriate action to address the current backlog in the upward progression of the lower level police act personnel to a higher grade (salary level) within a defined career path, with the employee acquiring and demonstrating the required competencies and skills to perform the job.

Promotion and Grade Progression
 
There is currently a backlog in the grade progression of employees between levels 5 and 7. About 69 219 members within these grades are long overdue for progression considerations.
Chairperson allow me to outline enlistments, grade progression and promotions as follows:

Enlistments
Entry Level Trainees	3500	1 January 2019
Public Service Act	600	1 November 2018

 

 

Promotion/grade progression
Post Promotions	1200	1 June 2018
Post Promotions	1000	1 September 2018
Post Promotions	1000	1 February 2019
Grade Progression	28000	1 March 2019

 

In addition nine hundred and fourteen members from the specialized units namely, the Special Task Force, TRT and the Intervention Unit including the commencement level of the Public Service Act personnel will be re-graded during this financial year. We calling the management to follow due process during the promotions and ensure deserving members must be promoted.
 
Chairperson, we hope that this initiative will boost the morale of our police officers to enable them to execute their task optimally. Going forward we will be working on the embitterment of the member’s conditions of employment.

Police Vehicles

The Police intend maintaining the existing vehicle fleet and marginally increasing the fleet to 42 000 vehicle, the majority of which are marked vehicles. An amount of 4.1 Billion Rand has been earmarked for this purpose. I have directed that the Police are to ensure that at least 70% of the vehicle fleet be available for operational purposes, at any given point in time We strongly urge members of our communities to assist us in reporting cases of misuse and abuse of police vehicles.

Police Service Delivery Points

Police stations are critical units in the police administration system. For many citizens, their first encounter with a police official is at a police station, where they report a crime or seek assistance. The public’s expectations of the police can only be met if they are satisfied with the professionalism and promptness of the services rendered by the men and women in blue at police stations.

This includes the accessibility of police stations, the professional and respectful conduct of the members of the Police based at those police stations and the overall degree of excellence of the services rendered. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that we enable our members to render services of a high standard with efficiency, professionalism, integrity and empathy, and to ensure that we put our people first.

The Police currently has 1 146 police stations and 14 mobile contact points, distributed during 2017/2018, that are used, particularly in rural areas, to take policing to the isolated communities. During 2018/2019, the following police stations will be opened:

• Mqhasa Police Station – Flagstaff Eastern Cape.
• Polile Police Station – Mountfletcher Eastern Cape.
•  KwaMhlushwa Police Station – Mpumalanga.

In addition to the stations planned for opening, the Police will distribute an additional 15 mobile contact points during 2018/2019.

I have directed that all SCM processes applicable to the building  of Samora Michel, Makhaza and Tafelsig Police Stations be completed during this financial year. It is our intention that the construction of the three police stations be prioritised and completed within the next three years. During the construction phase in 2020 -2023 of Samora Michel a parkhome will be erected for services in this financial year. Makhaza Police station will commence 2019-2022, and Tafelsig SAPS will commence this year until 2021.

Conclusion

Chairperson, we want to reemphasis our clarion call that we will never rest as the Police until all South Africans are and feel safe, where women and children are able to enjoy their liberties without fear of being raped, murdered, and attacked. We hold this commitment very close and shall defend it side by side with our communities.

Chairperson allow me to make a clarion call to the Nation to protect and work with the police. Remember they are there to serve us and the integral part of safety.

We are also making a clarion call to the Community to take queue from eNgcobo, Brownfarm, Khayelisha and give us information relating to crime. Also we call upon the community to join the anti- crime and anti-corruption campaigns initiatives in their localities, they should not buy stolen good

To the police yours is to serve and protect, that is why we feel pain when police get out of their way and commit crime . Painful as it may be , we will act decisively when dealing with such, as we did when we recently arrested the seventeen members of our own.

And, I take this opportunity to thank my Political Organisation, The African National Congress for affording me with the opportunity to serve and represent our people. I also want to  thank His Excellency, President Ramaphosa for his guidance and support in entrusting me with this portfolio. I also want to thank my colleagues in the Executive. Many thanks goes to the members of the Portfolio Committee of Police for their constant legislative support. Let me thank the Deputy Minister of Police for the sterling work. I will also like to thank the support team at the Ministry, Civilian Secretariat of Police, Management of SAPS, IPID, PSIRA, DPCI, and all SAPS stakeholders.

I would to thank my beautiful wife Mrs Cele and my family for their ever understanding and support.

Lastly, let me thanks our foot soldiers that make us to enjoy our sleep.

Chairperson I hereby table the budget of the department of police 2018/19 Budget R91 834 000000.