Oversight visits and Calls for nomination for the WC Language Committee & WC Cultural Commission
Police Oversight, Community Safety and Cultural Affairs and Sport (WCPP)
27 September 2024
Chairperson: Mr T Walters (DA)
Meeting Summary
The Standing Committee on Police Oversight, Community Safety, and Cultural Affairs convened to discuss key issues regarding their oversight visits and general programme.
The primary agenda item was to finalise the Committee’s oversight visits, which would focus on specific police stations based on crime statistics. These visits were intended to give the Committee insights into the challenges faced by the police and inform their ongoing work. The Chairperson reminded the Members of a prior decision to visit one station within the metropolitan area and another outside. In particular, they had previously engaged in discussions about content-based oversight regarding critical issues such as drug trafficking, crime intelligence failures, and extortion. The Committee aimed to assess the effectiveness of crime prevention measures, as well as engage with local sports leaders to see how sport could contribute to crime reduction efforts.
A proposal was tabled to visit Khayelitsha Police Station within the Cape Town metro, which had a high murder rate, and Worcester Police Station outside the metro. Members of the Committee generally supported this plan, with some offering additional suggestions.
Several Members raised concerns about the ongoing issues with drug houses and the failure of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to adequately monitor the number of drug houses being shut down. A proposal was made to visit the SAPS unit responsible for dealing with drugs and gangsterism, as it was deemed crucial to address the lack of vital data. The Committee agreed to include this visit in their oversight plans.
There was also a detailed discussion about focusing on police stations within Khayelitsha, specifically the Harare cluster, given its significant crime statistics. Members proposed visiting multiple stations to address the most pressing concerns, such as extortion and gangsterism. This led to suggestions for other high-crime areas like Mitchells Plain and Nyanga, which could be incorporated into future oversight visits. The importance of including visits to sports facilities in these areas was also highlighted, particularly to explore how sport could reduce crime.
The Committee discussed potential dates for these visits, aiming for mid-November. A detailed review of the parliamentary schedule followed, with suggestions to secure 12 and 13 November for comprehensive oversight activities. Further planning included the possibility of back-to-back visits, should the programme allow for it. These dates would also accommodate potential conflicts with other Committees and responsibilities.
The meeting also addressed the issue of filling vacancies in the Language Committee. The Chairperson outlined the need to advertise for new members, and a draft letter had been circulated. The discussion focused on the platforms to be used for the advertisement, with the agreement that the notice should be distributed across multiple media outlets, including newspapers and online platforms, and extended to rural areas. The Chairperson proposed setting a deadline in December for the completion of the advertisement process, which was supported by the Committee.
Lastly, the minutes of previous meetings held on 21 and 27 August were reviewed, with any necessary amendments or approvals pending further discussion.
The meeting concluded with the Chairperson emphasising the importance of securing dates for oversight visits and ensuring that the planned activities aligned with the Committee’s objectives. The Procedural Officer was tasked with coordinating the logistics of the upcoming engagements.
Meeting report
Oversight visits
The Chairperson said that the primary task of the meeting was to finalise the Committee’s oversight visits. He reminded the Members of the earlier agreement to assess available data and select two police stations based on crime statistics for future oversight. These visits were intended to provide insights for the Committee's ongoing work. He also recalled a previous robust discussion regarding the Committee’s desire to pursue content-based oversight, particularly addressing issues such as the drug trade, crime intelligence failures, and the increasing problem of extortion. He credited Ms A Cassiem (EFF) for bringing up the prevalence of drug houses. He noted that future oversight should also focus on firearms disposal, forensic laboratories, and the joint operations centre as areas of significant concern.
While content-based oversight remained a priority, the Chairperson emphasised that the Committee had resolved to commence with physical oversight visits. These visits would include a set of pertinent questions for the police, and they would also explore the possibility of engaging local sports leaders to determine if there were shared challenges between policing and social intervention efforts in the community.
Acknowledging the ambitious nature of their discussions, he reflected on the productive, almost workshop-like atmosphere, that had characterised the planning. However, he underlined the need to first confirm the precincts they would visit and to establish the dates for these visits. To facilitate this, he put forward a proposal which he encouraged the Committee to scrutinise and refine. His suggestion, based on a review of crime statistics, was for the Committee to visit two precincts: Khayelitsha Police Station in the metro, given its high murder rate, and Worcester Police Station, outside the metro. He reminded the Committee that this aligned with their earlier decision to visit one station within and one outside the metropolitan area.
The Chairperson concluded by reminding the Committee that the Procedural Officer had been assigned to circulate a presentation on national crime statistics, which included a comprehensive analysis of crime prevention data. He expressed the hope that Members had reviewed the material before the meeting.
He then remarked on the murder rate, commenting that it was largely influenced by gangsterism and the drug economy, both of which contributed significantly to the issues facing the Western Cape. He believed these factors would naturally guide the Committee’s future content-based oversight, which was in line with their previous discussions.
He then presented his proposal and invited feedback from the Committee, asking if there were any suggested amendments or further additions.
Discussion
Ms W Kaizer-Philander (DA) sought clarification on the two police stations mentioned, and asked whether the visits would take them to the end of the year. She expressed satisfaction with the Chairperson's proposal, noting that they had been guided by prior discussions and the data provided. She affirmed her support for the suggestions.
Ms B van Minnen (DA) echoed this sentiment, stating her agreement and offering her support for the proposal as well.
Ms Cassiem reiterated her support. However, she raised a concern regarding drug houses, referencing previous discussions. She asked whether it would be possible to arrange a visit to the unit that deals specifically with drugs and gangsterism. She highlighted a troubling response from the Minister, in which it was revealed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) did not have the capability to monitor or record the number of drug houses shut down in the Western Cape. Ms Cassiem stressed the need for oversight in this area, particularly given the Minister’s concerning response.
The Chairperson responded by asking Ms Cassiem whether she envisioned the involvement of the unit in a content-based oversight meeting, or preferred a physical visit. He agreed that this issue warranted attention.
Ms Cassiem said she believed a physical visit would be more beneficial. She expressed concern over the lack of crucial information, especially given the extent of the problems on the Cape Flats. She found it deeply troubling that SAPS and the Minister had not recorded such critical data, which was vital for public accountability.
The Chairperson expressed his comfort with the idea of incorporating a visit to the relevant unit into their oversight work, agreeing that the police appeared to have limited control over the situation, which should be a matter of concern. He proposed this visit as part of the Committee's physical oversight, and invited agreement from the Members, stating that silence would be taken as consent. After confirming the Committee’s agreement, he turned to Ms Kaizer-Philander.
Ms Kaizer-Philander expressed her satisfaction with the inclusion of the visit, but asked the Chairperson to clarify for the record that the Minister had not been invited to the meeting. She wished to avoid any misunderstanding that the Minister had been invited and had failed to attend or provide an apology.
The Chairperson clarified that the Minister had not been invited to this meeting. He emphasised that this was a Committee planning session, and there had been no failure on the Minister's part to attend or respond.
Mr M Booysen (DA) supported Ms Cassiem’s recommendation to include the SAPS, specifically the unit dealing with drugs and gangsterism, in the oversight visit.
Ms P Lekker (ANC) sought clarification on whether the discussion was focused on SAPS recommendations, or included the entire Committee’s departments.
The Chairperson said the current discussion was about finalising the physical oversight visits planned for the end of the year. He elaborated that they needed to accommodate these visits within their busy schedule. Following the physical visits, the Committee would delve into specific areas of concern. He reminded the Committee of their agreement to visit one police station within the Cape Town metro (Khayelitsha) and one outside the metro (Worcester). He also mentioned that Ms Cassiem had proposed a physical visit to the drugs and gang unit, which the Committee had agreed upon.
Ms Lekker followed up with a question regarding Khayelitsha, asking whether the Committee intended to visit the Khayelitsha cluster or a specific police station, as there were three stations in the area. She noted that the crime statistics could vary depending on whether they referred to Harare, Makhaza, or Khayelitsha.
The Chairperson said the Committee was discussing the Khayelitsha cluster, but was open to narrowing the visit to a specific station if that would be more effective. He asked if Ms Lekker had a particular station in mind.
Ms Lekker proposed that the Committee focus on Khayelitsha Police Station due to recent incidents, while also highlighting the extortion issues within the Harare cluster. She suggested they focus on two or three police stations to address key concerns, including incidents in Philippi and Nyanga. Following this, she expressed a desire to make additional proposals concerning arts, culture, and sports.
The Chairperson acknowledged her request and reassured her that both departments, including sport and cultural affairs, would be considered during their visits. He also asked Mr Booysen if he had any proposals, clarifying that they would try to visit the Khayelitsha cluster. He specifically asked Ms Lekker to narrow down the two police stations, mentioning Harare as one and seeking clarification on the other.
Ms Van Minnen contributed by supporting a data-driven approach, specifically considering the highest murder rates in the stations they chose to visit. She cautioned the Committee not to let visits related to arts and culture be secondary or simply added for convenience when visiting nearby police stations. She emphasised the importance of applying the same data-driven approach to all their visits.
The Chairperson referred to police statistics, noting a 21% change in Khayelitsha and a slight drop in Harare. He suggested the Committee focus on the station where the murder rate had increased the most, mentioning that Khayelitsha ranked just below Mitchells Plain. He proposed incorporating a visit to a recent incident into their oversight visit, and suggested expanding it to include another station, possibly Worcester, in the Cape Winelands district. He also advocated visiting the drugs and gangs unit.
Ms Van Minnen agreed with the suggestion, and Ms Lekker added her support.
The Chairperson then proposed layering visits to sport and cultural facilities onto the police station visits, highlighting the importance of understanding how sport and cultural participation impacted crime statistics. He mentioned a sports initiative in Mitchells Plain as a possible visit and suggested extending the visit to other crime-affected communities.
Ms Lekker, though not present at previous meetings, proposed including the Gugulethu Sports Council and nearby facilities, noting activity at the Khayelitsha Stadium. She suggested that the Committee extend their visit to the Mitchells Plain area if time allowed.
Ms Van Minnen agreed, noting that Mitchells Plain had higher murder rates than Khayelitsha and Harare. She also pointed out other high-crime areas, like uMfuleni and Nyanga, suggesting it might also be worthwhile to explore initiatives in those regions.
The Chairperson summarised that they would visit Khayelitsha police station first and then see if time allowed for a maximum number of visits to sports facilities. He stressed the importance of focusing on areas where sport initiatives significantly impacted crime statistics.
Before considering locations in Mitchells Plain, Ms Lekker suggested focusing on facilities closer to Khayelitsha, such as the Khayelitsha Stadium. She proposed that if time permitted, they could visit Mitchells Plain’s Beacon Valley or West Ridge. Alternatively, she recommended inviting stakeholders to meet at a nearby indoor facility, effectively covering both areas in one visit.
Mr Booysen expressed his agreement with Ms Lekker's suggestion, noting her familiarity with the area. He admitted that the Committee might be hesitant due to their limited knowledge of the local geography, and supported Ms Lekker’s recommendations.
The Chairperson acknowledged this, agreeing with the proposed approach. He suggested that during their visit to the Worcester police station, they also explore whether there was a Sports Council or similar group they could engage with. Finally, he asked the Procedural Officer to review available dates for oversight visits and provide a timeline for the proposed activities.
Committee Programme
Mr Waseem Matthews, Committee Procedural Officer, said he would share the updated parliamentary programme, starting from the current date, and would take direction from the Chairperson as needed.
The Chairperson pointed out that next week would be unsuitable for an oversight visit due to many Members being involved in the joint oversight in the Southern Cape of the Health and Wellness, and Social Development Committees, alongside the pressure of annual reports. He suggested considering Friday, 11 October, for maximum time.
Ms Van Minnen said she would not be available on 11 October, but emphasised that her unavailability should not hinder the Committee from proceeding. She expressed concern that finding a date for everyone would be difficult.
Ms Kaizer-Philander informed the Committee that she too would be unavailable on the 11th due to the older person's bill public hearing in Beaufort West, which would require some travel for her committee.
The Chairperson then proposed looking at 15 October as an alternative.
The Procedural Officer cautioned that many Members were involved in social cluster committees, such as education, social development, and health, which might affect availability, especially during the busy period of annual reports. He advised the Committee to be mindful of conflicting responsibilities.
Ms Lekker proposed checking the next available date after the completion of annual reports. She suggested possibly conducting a joint oversight with the entire social cluster, which would allow for more comprehensive visits to areas like Grassy Park. She suggested that this approach could provide more time for oversight and cover multiple areas, including Nyanga, which had been a focus in previous oversight visits.
The Chairperson welcomed the proposal, but cautioned that it would depend on scheduling. He suggested starting with the confirmed oversight visits to the Khayelitsha police station and related sports entities. If the possibility of a joint oversight arose, they could explore it further and bring the idea back to the Committee.
Ms Van Minnen then suggested incorporating visits to libraries, particularly in Khayelitsha, as part of the oversight, noting the importance of the libraries' online connectivity and community access centres.
The Chairperson agreed that it sounded like a full day’s activity. He asked the Procedural Officer to identify the first available full day after the annual reports to dedicate to the oversight.
Ms Lekker agreed with this approach.
The Chairperson further clarified the importance of finalising the Committee reports related to the annual reports, asking if this would affect its ability to spend the whole day on oversight.
Mr Matthews said that committees had set aside time to adopt their reports after annual report discussions. Depending on the committee's requirements, this could be a very brief meeting, perhaps just five minutes. He suggested that the Committee could adopt their report virtually, for example, via Teams, allowing them to proceed with a full-day oversight if necessary. He noted that the next available slot would be 12 November, and proposed negotiating with other committees to secure more time.
The Chairperson proposed reserving the entire day on 12 November for their oversight activities. He pointed out that if time constraints became an issue, they could address them later. He asked for the Committee’s support to proceed with this plan.
The Committee Members agreed.
The Chairperson said that they were in agreement and proposed requesting the entire day for their session. He noted that if there were unresolvable clashes with the rest of the programming authority, they could use the morning instead. However, he emphasised the importance of securing their allocated time, and urged that the request be submitted as soon as possible. This was his proposal for the Committee.
The Procedural Officer noted that Wednesday slots were also available for oversight visits, although some committees might take priority early in the parliamentary programme. He suggested that if the request was submitted early enough, it could avoid affecting the Tuesday meeting slot. He also mentioned the possibility of having back-to-back visits on 12 and 13 November, adding that Wednesdays were generally reserved for committees that operated on an ad hoc basis.
The Chairperson responded by suggesting that they request both 12 and 13 November for oversight, and negotiate with the programming authority for the time available. He believed they should lay as much claim as possible on the programming authority's slots. He proposed using both days for a comprehensive oversight visit, and if any time became available, they should "grab it." He asked if the Committee agreed with this approach, and also suggested looking at another date for a Worcester visit, and proposed the week beginning 20 November.
Ms Van Minnen raised a scheduling conflict, stating that the Standing Committee on the Premier and Constitutional Oversight had three pieces of legislation to address, making the 22 November slot difficult.
The Chairperson proposed revisiting earlier in the week, but noted that it looked challenging. He then suggested fitting the Worcester meeting into the 12 and 13 November dates.
The Committee agreed.
Filling of vacancies for the Language Committee
The Chairperson addressed the urgent issue of filling vacancies on the Western Cape Language Committee. He explained that the Committee needed to take charge of advertising for these vacancies, and a draft letter for an advertisement had been circulated. They needed to agree on the platforms for the advertisement.
He listed several major newspapers for consideration: the Cape Argus, Cape Times, Rapport and Die Burger, and suggested using the online platforms of the Western Cape and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. He asked for feedback from the Committee.
Ms Van Minnen supported the use of widely circulated newspapers and emphasised the need to ensure that communities speaking languages other than English were also reached, particularly in matters related to languages. She agreed with the use of online platforms.
The Chairperson asked Mr Matthews to clarify any legal requirements.
The Procedural Officer said that while the process was not defined, previous committees had relied on print media, and suggested the Committee consider publications that catered to the province's three official languages. He also recommended setting deadlines, and emphasising in the advertisement that the role was for board membership, not full-time employment. He proposed leveraging the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s (DCAS's) network of cultural councils, libraries, and stakeholders to further distribute the advertisement. Social media, video clips and the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) platforms were also suggested to maximise reach.
Ms Lekker proposed that rural areas be considered by sending notices to municipalities to cover areas outside the metro.
The Chairperson confirmed that advertisements would be placed on the DCAS and WCPP social media platforms and four newspapers, including isiXhosa publications. Municipalities and departments would display notices in both rural and metro areas. The advertisement would clarify that the position was a board membership role, not full-time employment. The Committee supported this approach.
The Chairperson said the Procedural Officer would manage the details, but the Committee's resolutions were clear. He also noted that the process must be completed by the end of January, as one entity's term expired then, with another in February.
The Procedural Officer advised that the Minister should be given sufficient time to evaluate the nominations, suggesting at least a week.
The Chairperson proposed using National Reconciliation Day, 16 December, as the advertisement deadline, though the Procedural Officer was uncertain about the WCPP closure times.
The Chairperson suggested setting a deadline for a week before the legislature's closure in December, to allow time for evaluations. He also proposed that the shortlist include twice the number of candidates needed.
Ms Lekker suggested using the first Monday of the constituency period in December to finalise matters, which Ms Van Minnen supported, and the Chairperson agreed to.
Members decided to make the deadline a week before the last Monday of the constituency period, with shortlisting to occur before then and finalisation in early January. Proposals by Ms Lekker and Ms Van Minnen were approved.
The Chairperson also proposed that advertisements be placed in two weeks' time, after getting quotes and translations, to which the Committee agreed.
Adoption of minutes
Minutes dated 21 August
Ms Van Minnen moved the adoption of the minutes, and Ms Kaizer-Philander seconded the motion. The Chairperson then inquired if there were any other matters on the agenda, stating that the resolutions and decisions from the meeting had been summarised by the Procedural Officer. He asked if there was anything further that needed to be addressed.
Minutes dated 27 August
With the Chairperson's permission, the Procedural Officer asked if Members were comfortable with the OneDrive links that had been shared, ensuring they could access all necessary information. He encouraged anyone facing difficulties to reach out to him for assistance, commenting that the aim was to make the documents easily accessible, even on mobile devices. Given the potential influx of nominations, he stressed that having everything available through OneDrive would eliminate the need for printed copies. He reassured the Members that they could contact him privately if any issues arose.
The Chairperson called for a proposal to adopt the minutes.
Ms Kaizer-Philander proposed the adoption, and the Chairperson himself seconded the motion. He asked the Procedural Officer if there were any outstanding matters, to which the Procedural Officer confirmed that everything had been covered. He thanked the Committee for their guidance regarding the entities.
The Chairperson said he would engage with the Committee regarding future meetings, particularly the annual performance plan (APP) and the annual report process, and would keep Members informed. He expressed his gratitude for the constructive meeting, noting that everyone shared the same passion and concern for their work. He also commended Ms Lekker for her excellent input over the past two days.
Ms Lekker then suggested that the Committee receive an update on the status of the SAPS forensic laboratory, particularly in light of past issues that had surfaced during the election period. She proposed that the Committee might even visit the lab to assess what more could be done.
The Chairperson responded that the forensic lab had been part of their content-based oversight discussions in a previous Committee meeting. He acknowledged that, from what he had gathered, good work was being done at the lab, but they were in need of more resources and support, confirming that the lab remained on the Committee’s radar.
The meeting was adjourned.
Audio
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Documents
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Present
-
Walters, Mr TC
Chairperson
DA
-
Booysen, Mr M
DA
-
Cassiem, Ms A
EFF
-
Christians, Mr F
ACDP
-
Lekker, Ms P
ANC
-
Philander, Ms W
DA
-
Stephens, Ms DR
PA
-
Van Minnen, Ms BM
DA
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