Draft Committee Report on SA Police Service Station Monitoring Tool: discussion

Meeting report

SAFETY AND SECURITY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
31 August 2005
DRAFT COMMITTEE REPORT ON SA POLICE SERVICE STATION MONITORING TOOL: DISCUSSION

Acting Chairperson: Mr M Booi (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Report on the SA Police Service Station Monitoring Tool
Committee Programme, 3rd Term 2005

SUMMARY
The Committee had held a strategic planning workshop in February 2005. This workshop had identified the need to develop a standardised monitoring tool and reportback mechanism for visits to police stations by the various Parliamentary Committees responsible for Safety and Security. The purpose of the questionnaire was to facilitate effective oversight of policing. The draft Committee Report proposing the use of this questionnaire was adopted for consideration by Parliament.

MINUTES
Ms van Wyk (ANC) read the Committee Report on the proposed questionnaire tool. This Committee had held a strategic planning workshop in February 2005. This workshop had identified the need to develop a standardise monitoring tool for visits of police stations to ensure more effective and co-ordinated oversight. The Committee had set up a subcommittee to oversee and make input into that proposal.

The purpose of the questionnaire was to facilitate effective oversight by the various Parliamentary and Provincial Committees responsible for Safety and Security, as well as individual constituency MPs; to provide these Committees with useful data with which to make recommendations to improve the functioning of policing; to compare issues between stations and provinces; to measure progress at police stations; and to ensure more effective collaboration between the Committees within the various provincial legislatures.

Ms van Wyk and the Chairperson of the Select Committee, Ms M Sotyu, had met regarding implementation. There would be financial implications in developing this database. The questionnaire would be launched in Parliament on a date to be announced soon.

Mr R Jankielsohn (DA) asked what the cost would be. Ms van Wyk replied that this had not yet been estimated but would be brought before the Committee as soon as possible. Mr Ndlovu (IFP) asked that the costs should be made available before the Members went on recess.

The Members proposed that the report would be introduced to Parliament by the Chairperson and be moved for adoption by the Chief Whip. The report would be published in the Parliament Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) for consideration by Parliament. It was agreed that Ms van Wyk and the Committee Secretary, Mr J Michaels, would consult with the Chairperson to take the report to Parliament. The report would be introduced to Parliament by the Chairperson and be moved for adoption by the Chief Whip.

It was agreed that the tool would be launched in Parliament at a cocktail function. Invitations would be sent to the Minister and Deputy Minister, the National Commissioner, all safety-related Members of the Executive Committee (MECs) and Provincial Commissioners, the Chairpersons of Provincial Standing Committees, Members of the Parliament NCOP Select Committee, the Parliamentary Oversight Taskteam, and the media.

Mr Jankielsohn reminded Members of the oversight visit to Mannenberg Police Station the following Wednesday.

The meeting was adjourned.