Committee Report on Police Research Seminar on Risk Factors for Police; Committee Programme

Meeting report

Committee Programme
The Chairperson noted that the management committee of the Committee had met the previous day to consider the Programme for the rest of the term before early end of term on 27 May for the upcoming municipal elections.

He went through the draft Committee Programme:
• The Firearms Registry and the Firearms Appeal Board for Tuesday 26 April 2016. The Committee would question what was being done about the turnaround strategy and with backlogs.
• The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) on 4 May 2016.
• A meeting was scheduled for the 11 May 2016 to deal with the matter of the Metro Police. The Committee would look at the performance of the Metro Police and the complaints that had been received about them. The Committee needed a status report on the Metro Police all over SA and the relationship between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Metro Police.
• On 18 May 2016 the Committee was to be briefed on the SAPS ICT Programme as well as on the research work of the Civilian Secretariat for Police (CSP) and SAPS.
• SAPS would provide a briefing on Police Reservists and on the Rural Police Strategy at the last meeting for the term on 25 May 2016.

Mr P Mhlongo (EFF) said that based on recent developments and what was broadcast in the media it was clear that there was a failure by SA’s security forces to respond to violence that had broken out at hostels in Kwa-Zulu Natal. He was concerned that the violence was getting out of hand.

Mr L Ramatlakane (ANC) agreed that the hostel violence was a concern. Could the Committee do much about it? He suggested that the Committee appraise the situation. Perhaps the matter could be discussed with SAPS when they appeared before the Committee. He even suggested that the Committee could undertake a visit to the area where the violence was happening.

The Chairperson said that the Committee would make a written request to SAPS that they update the Committee on the situation when they appeared before the Committee.

Mr J Maake (ANC) referred to the meeting scheduled for the 26 April 2016 and suggested that it be shifted to the 11 May 2016 as the 27 April 2016 was a public holiday.

The Chairperson stated that he heard the concerns of members but pointed out that the meeting scheduled for 26 April 2016 would not go beyond 12.30 pm. Members would have sufficient time to get back home.

Mr Ramatlakane heard Mr Maake’s suggestion but said there were already items on the agenda for the 11 May.

The Chairperson noted the inputs made by members and suggested that the meeting of 26 April 2016 with the Firearms Registry and the Firearms Appeal Board be shifted to Tuesday, 3 May 2016.

Committee Minutes
The Committee adopted the minutes of the 2, 9 and 23 February and 2, 8 and 9 March 2016 meetings.

Committee Report on Police Research Seminar on Risk Factors for Police
The Committee went through the report and made some minor changes and adopted the Report.

The meeting was adjourned.