Hansard: NA: Mini-Plenary (Debate on Vote 28, 24 & 21)
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 23 May 2023
Summary
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Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TUESDAY, 23 MAY 2023
VOTE NO 28, 24 & 21 - POLICE (including INDEPENDENT POLICE INVESTIGATIVE DIRECTORATE AND CIVILIAN SECRETARIAT FOR THE POLICE SERVICE)
PROCEEDINGS OF HYBRID MINIPLENARY – GOOD HOPE CHAMBER
Watch: Mini-Plenary (Debate on Vote 28, 24 & 21)
Members of the mini-plenary session met at Good Hope Chamber at 14:00.
House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 28 – Police, including Vote No 24 – Independent Police Investigative Directorate and Vote No 21 – Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service:
The MINISTER OF POLICE: Hon Chairperson, all protocol observed. Hon members, today I present to this august House,
the policing budget of the Republic of South Africa that responds decisively to the ongoing outcry and complaints from fellow South Africans on the state of crime in our country.
Today, our budget presentation simply says - we have heard your cries. Therefore, going forward our policing direction is continuing to respond decisively and vigorously to our constitutional mandate as outlined in section 205 which says and I quote:
To prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic of South Africa and their property, and to uphold and enforce the law.
Hence our theme for this year says, “Combating crime through decisive police action and robust community involvement”.
Hon Chairperson, this is being achieved through the following ten policing commands: Firstly, increased crime prevention and combatting action plan. Crime prevention and combating are being immensely increased during this financial year going
forward. The SAPS management have adopted a vigorous action plan that’s ensuring the streets and highways of this country are saturated with ongoing weekly high density operations.
These operations will sweep the streets and sanitise communities from criminality.
Chairperson, the SAPS has unleashed a nationwide disruptive armed intervention called “Operation Shanela” This includes intelligence led disruptive operations, tracking and tracing of wanted suspects as well as the removal of illegal firearms. This approach is being intensified over weekends as directed by the crime trends and recording thereof.
IsiZulu:
Sihlalo, yebo sicela umphakathi ubambisane namaphoyisa, ukushanela bonke ubungebengu obuhlasele iNingizimu Afika.
English:
Provincial commissioners are leading from the front, station commanders are leading from the front and the national
management are joining forces on the ground. This year we say, action, action and more action.
IsiZulu:
Shanela Phoyisa! Shanela Mphakathi! Phezu kwazo izigebengu Maphoyisa!
English:
Let us all sweep away criminality by combating crime through decisive police action and robust community involvement. In this regard, weekly meetings led by the executive are running concurrently to monitor progress of these operations and provide support and leadership to ensure that we respond accordingly to the outcry by the fellow citizens of this country.
Provinces with the highest incidence of reported crime, have been prioritized in terms of the allocation of baseline budgets. This also ensures the prioritization and resourcing of the top 30 high contact crime stations in the country. An additional amount of R65 million is allocated to the
provinces. The strengthening and capacitation of Tactical Response Teams, TRT, at high crime stations are being prioritised with the objective of policing high-crime areas and providing a rapid response capability to local crime fighting capabilities. The intervention of the TRT at local level, has been demanded by communities and the SAPS is responding accordingly with a thousand members being trained.
Specialised tracking teams are enhanced and members trained further at provincial and district level to effectively track and apprehend offenders.
Specific emphasis is placed on the stabilisation of crime in identified high-crime areas, tackling murders, police murders, corruption, extortion, kidnapping, illegal mining, illicit economy, economic sabotage and damage to critical infrastructure.
Part of the combating pillar of the action plan is the reduction of murder and attempted murder. The proliferation of firearms in the country remains a challenge, hence the
response plan is aimed at addressing the challenges within the Central Firearms Registry and tracing illegal firearms.
The police are finalising a plan to tighten its internal controls and electronically tag all state issued firearms. And R20 million is allocated in addition for activities regarding firearm licensing, compliance and enforcement of the Firearms Control Act.
At the beginning of the 2022-23 financial year, there were 74 633 applications for firearm licences that had been carried over from the 2021-22 financial year. The backlog of new firearm licensing applications decreased by 88,41% from 74 000 to 8 000. Over the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period, the SAPS total expenditure is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 3,9%. This is from R102,6 billion in the 2022-23 financial year to R114,9 billion in the 2025-26 financial year.
This is mainly due to the allocation of additional funding of R5,8 billion over the MTEF period to fund and carry through
costs of the previous year’s salary adjustments of R7, 8 billion for strengthening capacity at police stations. This funding also provides for costs associated with training, operational equipment, and the payment of monthly stipends to trainees and their salaries once they are absorbed.
The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, PSIRA, has ushered in various rigorous and robust enforcement compliance strategies, this includes the promotion of better firearms management by security companies. There is no doubt, this reduces the proliferation of firearms in line with the Africa Agenda 2063 to reduce the flow of guns in Africa.
PSIRA has established a Firearm Enforcement Unit responsible for investigating cases of non-compliance with the PSIRA Act and Firearms Control Act within the private security industry. To this effect, PSIRA seeks to enforce compliance of all withdrawn or liquidated security companies licensed to possess firearms.
On community mobilisation and the resourcing of Community Policing Forums, CPFs. In realising the theme for this year of “Combating crime through decisive police action and robust community involvement”, policing communities and policing with communities, remains the backbone of our policing direction going forward. We therefore call upon communities to embrace and throw their full weight behind the police, to turn the tide of crime and create safer communities.
Hon Chairperson, to this end, R70 million is allocated to the provinces to support CPFs in terms of resource requirements. This funding is assisting the CPFs with resources such as vehicles, laptops, torches, reflective jackets and other tools of trade. In addition to the above, R5 million is also provided for community interaction in terms of izimbizo, awareness campaigns, summits and conferences, working with communities.
Hon Members, during the 2022-23 MTEF budget, additional funding of R5,7 billion was allocated to SAPS that allowed the
department to enlist 12 000 employees to maintain the staff establishment at 179 502 employees in total.
A total of 10 000 police trainees have been enlisted in the 2023-24 financial year with the additional funds allocated in the previous and current budget allocation to SAPS. A total of
10 000 police recruits will be hired annually over the next two budget years, including those currently in their second year of training.
Which will bring a total of 30 000 new police recruits in the MTEF, period. We are calling on all South Africans from all walks of life to join the SAPS. The police service remains an organisation of choice for all South Africans, regardless of colour race or background.
Chairperson, the detective environment remains critical in the investigation of crime and overall improvement within the Criminal Justice System. In this regard, the action plan rigorously addresses the state of the detectives to improve the detection rate and finalisation of the caseload per
detective at station level. This includes a progressive retention and promotional strategy in this regard. A significant portion of more than 20% of the overall police budget is allocated to the detective services. While 28,8% or
2 880 of the 10 000 new recruits are intended to capacitate detective services in SAPS.
To further boost the investigative capacity of the SAPS, the police management is re-enlisting and inviting back experienced members of the service in good standing, who can contribute to the detective services, following the necessary three months of re-training.
Capacitation of the SAPS Crime Intelligence remains a priority. While the strengthening of functionalities pertaining to cybercrime and specialised multi-disciplinary units, are equally prioritised. In our efforts to continue with the implementation of the Farlam Commission recommendations - tabled, funding has been set aside to continue to capacitate the existing Public Order Policing units, POP. To date, an additional 4 000 of POP members have
been trained and deployed to various provinces, to address crowd management.
Hon members, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, DPCI, baseline allocation is sustained during this financial year. Strengthening the capacity of the DPCI continues to yield positive results in the investigation of high profile cases. Currently, there are initiatives to address the deficiencies that were identified by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, that are aimed at accelerating the implementation of FATF standards and methodologies within SAPS.
The FATF recommendations place emphasis on attending to money laundering and terror financing. The DPCI in consultation with key role players which are National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, Financial Intelligence Centre, FIC, and State Security Agency, SSA, have compiled an action plan for implementation in the first quarter of 2023-24 to deal with the FATF recommendations. Meanwhile, the DPCI have 51 case dockets enquiries on hand from which 26 arrests relating to the state capture were effected. While the cases emanating from July
unrest have not yet been concluded in court, 65 accused are being considered for additional charge of terrorism.
The DPCI is working with detectives, SAPS Crime Intelligence and the NPA to bring the cases to their logical conclusion. Moreover, of the 149 Truth and Reconciliation Commission, cases investigated by contracted former police officers.
Eighty-one inquests have been enrolled while 15 dockets have been sent to the NPA.
The Hawks’ national head office established a National Clean Audit Task Team, to specifically deal with fraud, corruption, money laundering, and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003, in identified municipalities.
During the investigations, more that R54 million of asset restraint and recoveries have been effected with a total of 81 individuals and a total of nine entities arrested. That has happened.
Chairperson, the Hawks continues to make serious inroads in dismantling of drug syndicates. To this end, the Serious
Organised Crime Investigation registered 20 projects which saw
27 drug laboratories discovered and dismantled and 45 individuals arrested. They also registered five projects to deal with illegal mining where property worth R13 million was preserved.
In the last financial year, the Hawks arrested 339 suspects for precious metals and diamonds. They also secured convictions on 92 accused persons. As an example, I shall reflect on the following three cases: those cases are 15 AK- 47s, six hunting rifles, shotguns, and an R5 rifle, thousands of ammunition, explosives and cash were seized and the accused are currently appearing in court. Eighty-seven illegal miners were sentenced to individual terms of six and eighth years.
All the accused remained in custody since their arrest in March 2023. And they were sentenced to a 696 years’ imprisonment by the Stilfontein Regional Court.
In Khutsong and Carltonville in Gauteng, the seven suspects alleged to have been buying gold bearing materials from the
zama-zamas, process it and sell it to the next level in the hierarchy. These cases are still at court.
Hon members, the status of the historic Deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, backlog was at 241 152 cases in the first quarter of the 2021-22 financial year and has been reduced. As of today, the DNA backlog is only 636 left from the 241 152. That is a reduction of 99,70%.
The Biology environment of the SAPS received and registered
338 439 new case exhibits and finalised 525 000 case exhibits.
We are keeping that capacity that we have created to achieve this so that this never happens again. The finalisation rate has increased progressively from 21% in the 2021-22 financial year to over 131% at the end of the 2022-23 financial year.
The SAPS is also implementing similar measures and turnaround strategies to tackle delays in the processing of ballistic and chemistry samples.
Since the establishment of the project, in conjunction with the NPA in July 2021, a total of 31 259 gender-based violence
and femicide, GBVF, related court ready cases have been successfully enrolled. In order to further increase SAPS’ forensic investigation footprint in the country, a newly refurbished and expanded Forensic Laboratory is to be opened by his Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa very soon.
The investigative footprint is resulting in the revamping of the Forensic Laboratory in the KwaZulu-Natal province. An action plan has been developed that aims to respond to crimes related to GBVF vulnerable groups and sexual offences. This plan also focuses on the resourcing of Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units, FCS, Units, both at national and provincial level with a total of R1,3 billion for both proactive and reactive responses on GBVF. That is how serious we are when it comes to these cases.
Hon members, improving the police service through skills development is being prioritised. The department is putting in place a number of interventions in addition to the annual cost-of-living adjustment to enhance the working conditions for employees. Employees are having the chance to advance in
their careers. To enhance the overall compensation package for the impacted employees, allowances in particular environments are also reviewed.
The multi-year, Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council, SSSBC, agreement signed with organised labour in 2018 on the backlog of employees to qualify for grade progression, was honoured and concluded in 2022. Since then, more than 58 000 employees, at constable, sergeant and warrant officer levels, were promoted in terms of this grade progression process.
The SAPS has reprioritised funding and human resource activities in order to fund an increase in the service allowance. The SAPS service allowance has therefore increased from R400.00 per month to R700.00 per month, hon Emam. With the back pay from April last year for those members. This increase is a major shift from the service allowance which had remained unchanged since the dawn of democracy. More funding is now prioritised from the current baseline and this will be reviewed on a regular basis in consultation with labour.
The SAPS officers involved in corruption are subjected to enhanced disciplinary measures to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions and to prevent any further corruption within the SAPS. In order to effectively manage disciplinary processes, awareness-raising measures are put into place and specialised disciplinary units are established at the national and provincial levels.
Honourable Members, in advancing efforts of institutionalising discipline in the police - equally, the IPID remains a significant oversight body as mandated by Section 206(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The existence of IPID aims to ensure that the police execute their mandate within the ambits of the law. The IPID continues to operate independently while ensuring that their approach in executing their mandate, is corrective and not punitive. The amendment of the IPID Act is underway and the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, CSPS, has already done so.
Meanwhile, consequence management is implemented decisively to managers that are not fit for purpose.
The SAPS continues to invest in the acquisition of appropriate technology for the use in crime prevention, criminal investigation and intelligence. This includes the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles-drones-and body-worn cameras as well as shot spotters in high density crime areas. To date, the SAPS is training more officers to be licensed to fly drones.
Hon members, allow me to take this opportunity and thank Parliament for passing the relevant legislation on the usage of interception and surveillance devices that have been gazetted.
The Private Sector Partnerships aimed at improving policing is also being intensified as part of the response plan to prevent and combat crime. The existing collaboration in other provinces is yielding positive results. The results from the survey are to be used to enhance service delivery and to ensure that the public receives the best possible experience at our police stations. Additionally, R25 million is also allocated to the provinces for the enhancements to safeguard police stations. We call on police to be more vigilant as
police attacks and killings are on the increase. We also urge communities to support police safety efforts.
Chairperson, departmental spending over the MTEF is in relation to the core programmes with visible policing consisting of 51% of the total Budget Vote in 2023-24.
The SAPS has been allocated more than R1,8 billion for the procurement of transport assets. Meanwhile, another area to contribute to improved service delivery is the rapid response capacity and accessibility of policing services.
During the state of nation address on 10 February 2023, His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, issued a call to action noting that we use our competitiveness in call centre operations to support the proper functioning of the 10111 Command Centres, partnering with the private sector. The SAPS has therefore, through the announcement of the President, engaged with the Office of the Presidency to explore the opportunities that Operation Vulindlela can provide, in addressing some of these shortcomings.
Chairperson, a proposal has already been approved, which consists of three phases and work is already underway to improve the functioning of the 10111 command centres. We will be building new police stations and more than R1 billion has been set aside to ensure that this happens. There will be 13 police stations that have been built and finalised and will be handed over to the communities this financial year.
Fighting crime must intensive through government cluster work, facilitating legislation reforms as contained in the document passed by the Cabinet. Which has six pillars that all government members must follow to fight crime.
Chairperson, I present to you the SA Police Budget Vote 28, 24, 21, for the financial year 2023-24 to the amount of R102,
137 billion. The IPID is allocated the amount of R357 million, the CSPS an amount of R 150, 489 million.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people with whom we have worked and served. Beginning with the Deputy Minister of Police, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee
on Police, General Fannie Masemola, the chief of staff, the acting secretary, the head of IPID and those working with PSIRA led by Adv Chauke, Godfrey Lebeya, the head of the Hawks, Raymond Sono who works with the DNA Judge and the Chairperson of the Firearms Appeals Board Ms Shandu and my family, led by my wife, Mrs Thembeka Cele, who has kept me sane under difficult circumstances. Thank you.
Ms T M JOEMAT-PETTERSSON: Hon Chair of Chairs, Minister of Police, hon General Cele, the Deputy Minister of Police and the other Deputy Ministers present, the National Police Commissioner, our parliamentary delegation from Kenya, the National Head for the Directive of Priority Crime Investigations, the Deputy National Commissioners, the Acting Secretary of Police, Civilian Secretariat, the Director of
Independent Police Investigative Directorate, IPID, the Chairperson and board members, as well as the Director of
Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, PSIRA, hon Members of the Portfolio Committee on Police, our Whip, hon Seabe, in particular, and all our women an men in blue, good afternoon ...
Sesotho:
... dumelang ...
English:
I am honoured to introduce the budget report of the SA Police Service, SAPS, the Civilian Secretariat, and the Independent
Police Investigative Directorate. We had robust engagements and disagreements, but we have found solutions. We had these
engagements with the departments during the recently conducted budget hearings. It wasn’t easy.
However, we have consolidated our democratic gains and we have exercised our roles of parliamentary oversight. We have
furthered the goals of our national democratic revolution, through transparent budget in process. Allow me to quote an extract from the article by the President of the ANC Youth League, ANCYL, Comrade Anton Lembede, in January 1947.
It is imperatively necessary to mobilise a nation in all its ramification, men women and young people, it is unconvertable and unchallengeable fact that the leaders
of tomorrow will be recruited from the youth of today. It is therefore extremely urgent and important for the future of our national democratic revolution that we produce more leaders than followers.
The aggressive recruitment of 20 000 youth through the approval of the SAPS budget marks the most historical and aggressive step, in the fight against youth unemployment in our country. We welcome this initiative by our Minister and our government, in response to escalating crime levels and youth unemployment. The recruits were selected from 1 million applicants, and they form 2% of the very best. They went through rigorous selection processes, they were vetted, they are the cream of the crop, and we salute them.
However, they represent a new generation of police service that will enhance the image of police and build trust. They can fight, produce and learn at the same time. They can shoot and learn at the same time. The trainees received a stipend of R4 500, they were placed at the police stations, they received medical aid, free tuition, free meals, free uniforms, free
accommodation, but nothing for mahala. [free.] They must produce, study and they must come out better.
About R7 million is spent in the Local Filming Kimberley, monthly. The Kimberley area benefits from this input into economy, small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, are benefiting from the food that’s procured, the provisions that’s procured, and once a month, these recruits do not only spend the money at Pick n Pay, but they also send the money home. Their first income produces. Minister to the SAPS, we are calling for gender parity in those recruitment processes. The SAPS’s future is a future which belongs to all the youth, black and white.
We also encourage people from other communities, irrespective of the race, to join the police force. It is with immense gratitude to hon President Matamela Ramaphosa, for spearheading this initiative. We should call these 20 000 recruits the Ramaphosa SAPS Detachment, and we mean this, hon members. The young men and women are the future of our police service. We urge those new recruits, pledge and swear your
allegiance to the Constitution. Do not become grab, do not arrive at work drunk under the influence of alcohol and we don’t want to see your TikTok videos of you sleeping.
We are indeed the Anton Lembede generation, and as Anton Lembede has implored us, we are producing, Minister, a second layer of young leaders in SAPS. About 60 000 noncommissioned officers have received an increase. It’s a 75% increase and it is significant. Hon Minister, members, Chair of Chairs, we noe have a clean audit. We want to say that through the persistent monitoring of the department’s action plan, we received an unqualified audit in 2021, and we are convinced that we will receive an unqualified audit again this year. Wait, let me tell you this, we waited with abated breath for this national shutdown.
The shutdown did not materialise, it did not happen. What did however materialise, was the strong co-operation of the departments in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security, JCPS, Cluster. We witnessed the well-developed operational response plan, which was meticulously executed. Through the
National Assembly analysis backlog, we sustained pressure on SAPS, the backlogs to a quarter million in February 2023, it has been reduced by 1 600. Also, we have improved the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF.
In May 2021, we visited the Central Firearms Registry, CFR, in a ... [Inaudible.] ... we were alarmed, shocked and outraged. Subsequently, we had another visit there, R30 million was ringfenced to improve and finalise firearm applications. The committee can proudly report that there have been a significant improvement and progress. The digitalisation of all files at the CFR is currently underway. Hon Chair, the committee unanimously approved the adoption of the amendments made to Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Amendment Act.
This Bill was instrumental in addressing the technical compliance deficiencies as highlighted by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. The committee’s commitment to consider the Bill addressed compliance deficiencies related to counter terrorism. I wish to thank the leaders of the opposition and
the members of the opposition for unanimously supporting us on this Bill. Under your leadership, Minister, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, DPCI, will further intensify its efforts to address the deficiencies highlighted by the FATF.
The committee will work closely with the National Treasury to ensure that South Africa is removed from grey listing. The investigations by the DPCI into the commission or inquiry into allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud in the public sector is well on its way. We commend General Lebeya and his team for the progress which has been made in the investigations from these recommendations. However, we hope that this leads to arrests, and this actually, leads to more action. It must remain our priority until all perpetrators of the state capture are brought to book and brought back to the country.
Our fight against crime and corruption remains our priority. The South African Police Service Act provides for two key voluntary structures in policing, namely, the community
policing forums and the reservists. The individuals serving on these structures serve voluntarily and are vital to building trust between the communities and the police. The hon President in his state of the nation address, highlighted the importance of the Community Policing Forums, CPFs. The hon President emphasised that these structures are essential in forming partnerships with the communities to fight violence and address the scourge of GBV and Femicide.
In response to the clarion call by the President, the SAPS has held a productive Community Policing Indaba in which many gains were made, and thank you, Minister for that allocation you committed today. As the hon President stated in his 2023 Sona, we must bring an economic sabotage and organise crime under control to secure our infrastructure and our economy.
The commercial crimes such as cable theft have a significant effect on our electricity system and contribute to load shedding. The SAPS has established a dedicated team with senior leadership to deal with the pervasive corruption and theft in several Eskom Power Stations.
In this regard, it is imperative for the 2019 Protection of Criminal Infrastructure Act and the Critical Infrastructure Council which has been established under the Act to come into operation, and they should be guarded and protected accordingly. The continued influx of the illegal foreigners must be addressed in the JCPS Cluster and the SA Revenue Service, Sars. We want to clearly state that we are not against the economic migrants, but it must be done legally and responsibly. The undocumented foreigners have a devastating impact on crime in general, but specifically on illegal mining.
Last year, we conducted joint oversight visits with the Portfolio Committee on Minerals and Energy. The influx of cross border contravenes especially the illegal cigarettes is having a devastating impact on our tax revenue. We congratulate the improvements in crime intelligent and the appointment of the new Divisional Commissioner. The SAPS is currently resourcing its prioritised specialised capabilities over the medium-term, including the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, DPCI, and cybercrime.
The committee will consider the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill, and the entire committee has implored us to complete this Bill during this
term and we will do our best to do so. I want to thank the
Secretariat for Police for the hard work. We commend this step taken by our President to strengthen the capacity of the
state, thus enhancing our ability to fight crime and corruption. We wish to thank the Minister for his decisive
leadership in inviting the national democratic revolution in our pursuit of the noble objectives of a truly, united,
nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and crime-free South Africa.
I wish to thank the Deputy Minister, the National Commissioner and his team for the tireless efforts in heading a coherent approach in our fight against crime and corruption. I wish to thank PSIRA, the Civilian Secretariat and the IPID Executive Director. I also want to thank our committee staff as well as the staff of the Minister and the Deputy Minister, the staff of the ANC study group who work relentlessly and tirelessly to ensure that we fulfil our oversight mandate. The committee members, especially our Whip in particular, you championed the
process of renewal in SAPS, and focussed on the task at hand without the unnecessary barriers of party-political posturing.
I thank even the members of the opposition for this. We thank our members, men and women in blue. Today we have more women than men as Provincial Commissioners, today we have more women as Deputy National Commissioners, we also have a woman as the Executive Director of IPID.
IsiZulu:
Malibongwe.
English:
We support this Bill as the ANC. I thank you.
Mr A G WHITFIED: Chairpersons, allow me to begin by expressing my sincere condolences on behalf of the DA to all of the families who have lost loved ones in service of our country through the SA Police Service. We stand together with the hard working, honest and professional police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect their fellow citizens.
This shocking spike in police killings underscores, perhaps more than anything else, the near complete collapse of the security establishment in our country. When criminals don’t fear consequences from the state, they become emboldened to commit more crime and even to attack the state by killing police officers.
I would also like to take this opportunity to call on the Minister who is silent in this regard during his budget speech to commit meaningful action to his tough talk from previous budget speeches where has had mentioned in every other budget speech his condolences in police officers what we now need is tangible plans to turn the situation around. Solution to the problem, and not just tough talk.
Budget speech after budget speech since your appointment in 2018 have left South Africans with a trail of broken promises and higher levels of violent crime. In the last five years there has not been a demonstrable improvement in outcomes that make South Africans safer and if South Africans are not safe, they are not free. Safety is a prerequisite for progress and
prosperity. It is the foundation upon which citizens can pursue their dreams and realise their talents. Without safety our nation will never prosper.
The National Development Plan tells us that, and I quote:
In 2030, people living in South Africa feel safe at home, at school and at work, and they enjoy a community life free of fear. Women walk freely in the streets and children play safely outside. The police service is well- resourced and professional, staffed by highly skilled officers who value their work, serve the community, safeguard lives and property without discrimination, protect the peaceful against violence, and respect the rights to equality and justice.
Hon members, this is a nice vision. The year 2030 is just six years away and South Africa’s safety and security environment has deteriorated dramatically since in the last 10 years since the National Development Plan, NDP, was adopted by government. It is safe to say that the vision of the NDP will not be
realised because government has been soft on crime and softer on the causes of crime. We have a government that talks tough and acts soft. A government that has lost control of law and order and allowed criminals to run rampant across our communities.
Minister, when you took office in 2018, the President promised to halve violent crime in a decade. Halfway through that decade and violent crime is on the increase with murder up 20% since 2018, violent crimes against women and children continue unabated, organised criminal syndicates have become more sophisticated and better resourced than our own state security agencies resulting in kidnappings, for example, having nearly doubled from 5 693 when you took office to 10 826 in the last financial year.
In every budget speech since your appointment as Minister you have dedicated your department’s budget to the fight against gender-based violence yet murders of women and children have increased by 28% and 17% respectively and the conviction rate is dismal.
We have repeatedly heard the President promise more boots on the ground, but this too has been a broken promise. In 2011- 12, 10 years ago, the SA Police Service, SAPS, had 157 518 SAPS Act members This decreased to 140 048 in 2022. These are the real numbers of the boots on the ground. And while you will inevitably stand up at the end of the debate and tell us of the thousands of recruits to be deployed you won’t tell us about the net loss in personnel as a result of the restructuring of SAPS which is seeing numbers, skills and experience being lost every single year. If you want proof of this claim, then you need look no further than your own budget.
In this budget compensation of employees has decreased despite promises of increased recruitment. In real terms, the budget for compensation of employees decreased with R4,9 billion compared to the previous financial year. Less money means less boots on the ground. Visible policing receives more than half of the department’s budget allocation yet when you talk to community members across the country, and they tell you they never see the police it would be more appropriate to name this
programme invisible policing. What is shocking is that for the third consecutive year, the largest decrease in the department’s budget is in this core service delivery programme at a whooping R3,3 billion. Our detectives are overworked and underpaid with almost every single detective I speak to telling me they have over 200 dockets on their desk at any given time. We are losing valuable skills and experience in detective services because these SAPS members don’t feel valued or supported.
The result of this is a continued decline in the performance in this programme, and subsequent decline in detection rates. It is the reason we see low conviction rates resulting in criminals no longer fearing the criminal justice system due to the low probability or extinct probability that they will ever face consequences.
Our community policing forums, CPFs, are not adequately resourced and the R70illion committed by the Minister is welcome. It is unlikely to filter down to everyh single CPF in the country. The reality for CPF members is that they too put
their lives on the line with to no protection and in m ay cases no glow in the dark vests. Some CPF members complain that SAPS simply does not attend meetings and refuses to convene elections. In eKomani, Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape some CPF sectors are recognised while others are not. This is contrary to the ethos of community and partnership policing and must be addressed with urgency.
The SAPS reservist programme has been completely gutted since 2011-12. There are 90% less reservists today than they were in 2011-12, from 52 000 down to less than 5 000 in just 10 years. The department needs to urgently develop that plan, Minister to recruit retired police officers that we really need is to make sure that we bolster that reservist programme as a force multiplier in our communities particularly in rural communities which are under siege from violent criminals against the failure of the SAPS rural strategy. All of the indicators which point to the realisation of a safer South Africa for all and the fulfilment of the NDP are failing. The budgets don’t match the promises, nor do they support the plans and the facts speak for themselves. South Africans will
not forgive this government for compromising their safety and security and that of future generations. In 2024 the people of South Africa will rise up and vote for a safer South Africa under a new government with the DA at its centre. [Time expired.]
Mr H A SHEMBENI: Chairperson, this year marks 10 years since the establishment of the economic emancipation movement. In the founding manifesto of the EFF, we note how the ruling party has abandoned its historical mission of the Africa people and how they have over the years relinquished control over the country back to those whom we fought. The general state of policing in the country is a reflection of that neglect of the key fundamentals of governance by the ruling clique. The police meant to be protecting our people from criminals and themselves are not distinguishable from the criminals that are meant to be fighting. Take the example of the murder of the antigang unit detective unit Charl Kinnear here in Cape Town. A careful look at this case will show that the police have been infested, captured and redirected by a powerful group of gangsters in the Western
Cape. These gangsters use the police to fight against the law abiding policemen and policewomen in this country.
Detective Kinnear found himself a victim of this collusion between the police and the criminal in Cape Town. But there are many cases such as this across the country, and Minister Cele knows about this and yet he has decided to turn a blind eye to the criminalisation of the SA Police Service.
While the SA Police Service, SAPS, and its senior leaders are colluding with criminals, the South African society is suffocating from the crime. In just three-month period between October and December, 7 555 people were murdered in this country. There were 7 016 cases of attempted murder. There were over 15 000 cases of reported sexual offences which includes 12 419 cases of rape. These are just reported cases and it has become common knowledge in this country that there are thousand more cases of sexual offences that never get reported to the police. There were over 50 000 cases of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Of the reported cases of murder, 319 of them were murder of children.
Over 2 000 were assaulted with an intent to do grievous bodily harm. These translates into over 82 murders every single day in this country and about 169 sexual offences a day. This is not a normal society. there is something inherently wrong with a state that allows the proliferation of crime and disorder the way the ruling party has allowed crime to flourish in this country.
We have become a criminal society and crime is enabled implicitly and explicitly by the state. The SA Police Service DNA laboratory has collapsed leading to a compromising thousands of sexual cases which cannot be proved without DNA evidence.
The central firearm registry has collapsed. This failure is directly linked to the proliferation of illegal firearms in the country. In a nutshell we have no police in this country. The police have been captured by sectional interests of their leaders and the criminal interests of the gangsters they report to. These needs cleaning up from the top, Minister Cele. It is incapable of providing the kind of leadership
needed to deal with the problems the police face. He is one of the most incompetent Ministers we have in this country and there is no hope of even dealing with the crime as long as he is the Minister.
the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Ipid, has no chief ever since the ruling party removed Robert McBride. It has been captured by the police to protect their criminal ways. The Criminal Secretariat for Police is merely used for dishing out favourites and tenders to their ANC comrades.
We need to rethink our policing strategy before the entire country becomes a den of criminals. Minister Cele must be fired. The current Commissioner of the SAPS was suspended for incompetence. We need capable men and women to lead this institution, otherwise we are deemed. The amount of the police we saw during the shutdown immediately disappeared to look after women and children who died in the streets in numbers every day.
The issue of the security clearance to the senior management of the SAPS is a worrying factor because those managers are meant to handle classified documents and a huge budget in the country and of the SAPS. Detectives need to be motivated, for instance, create team buildings, give them incentives and give them promotions. They must have competition amongst each other from the station level up to the national level, Minister. We therefore reject this Vote. Thank you.
Ms Z MAJOZI: Hon Chairperson, as the IFP, we are concerned with the state of the finances of the Department of Police. The recent SA Police Service Annual Report 2021-22 states, “Confirmed fruitless and wasteful expenditure for the reporting period was R621 439,41.” According to the Auditor- General, the situation is much worse, with, “Fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R1,8 billion still under assessment.”
Further, “Effective and appropriate steps were not taken to prevent irregular expenditure of R152 million” and “Consequence management was not effected against officials who incurred and permitted irregular expenditure in the previous
periods”. We, therefore, call on the SA Police Service to get their house in order: To supply accurate and complete financial records – on time; and to abide by and implement all recommendations of the Auditor-General.
As the IFP, we want to remind this House that the revised Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, identifies five fundamental goals for the period 2019 to 2024, which include that, “Violent crime will be halved.” Sadly, the SA Police Service do not appear to be on track.
From 2020-21 to 2021-22, murder increased by 26,6%, rape by 15,2% and carjacking by 24,7%. The list goes on and on. We do not hold much hope for the future, considering that the most recent crime statistics, shared by Minister Cele, in February 2023, recorded 7 555 murders for the period - a 10% increase, year-on-year. South Africa currently has a police to population ratio of 1:430.
Last year, we were relieved to hear that thousands of new recruits would increase ‘feet on the street’, but according to
the SA Police Service 2021-22 Annual Report, “Of 12 000 entry- level members, 10 000 will replace personnel losses and 2 000 will result in increases to the establishment”. With 1 158 police stations across the country, 2 000 new recruits won’t go far. Add to this that: Only one percent of police stations is considered to be in an, “Excellent” condition; 69% are, “Fair”; with another 15% considered, “Very poor”.
How are our men and women in blue expected to perform their duties in such conditions? We would also like to query the state: Of the, “54 994 SA Police Service transport assets”. At what stage is a police vehicle retired? Thousands of these vans are visibly dilapidated. Instead of squandering hundreds of millions in irregular and fruitless expenditure, consider rather investing in proper police vehicles. And, there is money for resources.
The SA Police Service spent almost R325 million on contractors in 2021-22, almost double the R188 million of the 2020-21 financial year. This is unacceptably high. Where are the in- house skills?
The IFP also remains concerned about issues relating to illegal firearms. While we welcome the department, “Transitioning of the firearm license application process from a tedious manual process, to an on-line process”, we again plead with the SA Police Service to work on improving the rate at which it processes applications relating to firearms.
Almost 50 000 applications were not attended to in the 2021-22 financial year, and this means that through no fault of their own, citizens find themselves walking around with an illegal firearm.
The IFP also notes the work that has been done to reduce the DNA testing backlog. We call on the SA Police Service to maintain a high turnover rate and ensure testing is done regularly so that the backlog stays as close to zero as possible.
While we commend IPID for its work, and high rate of cases being investigated and finalised, we call on them to aim for 100% resolution of cases, so that no person is denied justice.
It is essential to restore public confidence in the police. Much work is to be done to keep South Africa’s people safe.
The IFP supports the Budget. I thank you.
Dr P J GROENEWALD: What happened in Graskop symbolises the crime situation in South Africa. What happened in Graskop, a bunch -I call them a bunch of criminals of about 13 or 14 - came into the town with AK47 rifles, R4 rifles - by the way you can only get these from the SA National Defence Force - and explosives. They took over the town, blew up shops, just took the loot and they left.
The community said: Enough is enough! They went to the police station, locked it up and said they must get rid of the police station commander. But then, the police started to arrest the community for doing that. This symbolises what is going on about crime in South Africa because the communities must protect themselves. If you look, for instance, at crime statistics, you will see that mob justice and murders went up
for the last financial year, in three quarters - 1 536 murders took place by means of mob justice.
And, hon Chair, I want to say that if we look at crime statistics we know that it is not 100% accurate. In fact, I think it is much higher. But, it gives us an indication of the crime situation in South Africa. Let us take the last financial year, as I believe that we are going to receive the fourth quarter results next Wednesday.
If we look at the three quarters of the last financial year, we will see that, for instance, for the second quarter, all
17 categories of crimes have increased. In the third quarter, all the contact crimes - all of them - have increased. There is no stopping the number of violent crimes in South Africa.
If we look at women and children, if you look at those three quarters, you will find that 2 945 women and 877 children had been killed. Yes, we hear about the backlog of forensics that was completed and that there is no backlog, but still you must read in the newspapers of rape cases, where the victims are
still waiting for more than two years for the DNA tests. You cannot blame the community if they came to a situation where they said we must protect ourselves.
I want to say, and I always say it, I salute those hardworking true members of the SA Police Service who really would be able to put their own lives on the front line to protect us. But, hon Chair, we must get to a point in South Africa, where we say: What are we going to do about crime in South Africa? And, hon Minister, whether you like it or not, the buck stops with you because this is Parliament. This is politics. It stops with you!
The people of South Africa want to hear from you, as the Minister, what you are going to do to stop these increases. There are about 28 000 investigators in SA. Is it possible for them to investigate all the crime that is taking place?
Afrikaans:
Ek wil vir die agb Minister ook sê, ons moet ons nie laat mislei deur die stabilisering van plaasmoorde en die aantal
boere en ook baie van hulle werkers wat vermoor word nie. Die rede daarvoor is dat die gemeenskappe hulle eie veiligheid in hulle hande neem. Ek was by Nampo. By Nampo is daar elke jaar meer en meer sekuriteitsmaatskappye wat hulle toerusting uitstal ter beskerming van die boere. Hulle stel die voorbeeld hoe om hulself te beskerm.
English:
But unfortunately, hon Minister, you owe the people of South Africa an answer. I thank you.
Rev K R J MESHOE: Chairperson, in real terms, the SA Police Service budget has decreased this year by five per cent to R102,13 billion. In terms of the IPID budget has decreased by 4,45% to R364,4 million. In terms of the CSPS budget has decreased by 5,75% for this current year. The ACDP want to know how government is planning to reduce this ever-increasing crime when the budget of the Police is continually being reduced.
The conviction rate for reported house robberies, vehicle robberies and hijackings is already under 10%. Combined with our unemployment rate of 32,9%, this is definitely a crisis. If government wants to improve the conviction rate, then major changes should be done in the Department of Police, IPID and the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service. Between October and December last year, there were 12 419 rapes. In July last year, eight women making a music video were raped in Krugersdorp by a gang of gunmen in balaclavas.
Chairperson, to reverse this negative trend of low conviction rate, the SA Police Service must fix our DNA laboratories and ensure that victims of rape do not face their rapists in court before the DNA results have been finalised? Detectives should be empowered to finalise cases by providing them with complete forensic evidence. Prosecutors are frustrated when court cases are withdrawn because of DNA delays.
The allocation for Forensic Science laboratories face a decrease in real terms of 2,66%. In addition, the position of DNA Board Chairperson is currently vacant. The department
needs to consider the call of the Independent Policing Union to decentralise the forensic science laboratories so that provinces can be able to produce the results that are being produced in those laboratories. The ACDP fully supports this call by the union.
We believe that the IPID budget, which is only R364,4 million, which is seriously inadequate for the purpose, is not helpful. How can 175 investigators deal with a police force of 190 000, plus metro police officers? There is a backlog of 14 000 cases and investigators have case-loads of 200 to 250. [Time expired.] Thank you
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE: Chairperson, Minister of Police Bheki Cele, chair of the committee Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson and good afternoon ladies and gentleman, thanks for this opportunity to deliver these inputs to our Budget Vote which is taking place in the midst of our continued efforts to find new and innovative interventions to discharge our enormous responsibility of keeping our nation safe. Hon Chair, I heard Hon Groenewald saying that there are rape victims waiting for
results for over two years and I would like to challenge that and ask that we be given those cases so that we can go and investigate because we have been working closely with the prosecution authority around issues of DNA, and as far as we are concerned, we don’t have that but I’ll be happy to receive that, Hon Groenewald, so that we deal with that.
The issues that were raised by Hon Shembeni, I think those are personal issues and hatred towards the Minister. You can’t say convincingly that the ANC that is governing this country is a clique unless the interpretation of that has changed with your understanding. We appreciate the constructive criticism that was presented here by Hon Majozi and some members of the opposition, we appreciate that, very constructive. We want that. We always believe that where wrong is seen, wrong must be confirmed as having been seen and we don’t have to stand here and gloss over that. So I thought it appropriate, Chair, to acknowledge that but thank you for supporting our Budget Vote.
We remain fully aware of the pressing obligation to continue pursuing every effort that will realise a crime-free South Africa, where the populace and everyone within our borders will live without fear of being attacked or becoming victims of criminality, where our women and children do not live in fear of falling victim to gender-based violence and femicide. This year’s budget vote is held post the stormiest years of our recent history. Just as we thought we were emerging from the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the commensurate lockdown that affected not only the economy but the nature and focus of policing, we found some provinces of the country engulfed by floods, civil unrest and many other unexpected turns of events.
As a result of several unexpected turn of events that are usually out of our control, we find ourselves in a predicament of multichallenges as a country, aggravated by the impact of the electricity crisis on the economy and the safety of our communities. The underlying paradox of it all is that irrespective of the nature of these challenges, the inability to adequately address them from a socioeconomic perspective,
results in these ultimately becoming a safety and security problem in one way or another.
This complexity requires that our approaches and interventions to enhance policing and promote safety in communities be intensified, multipronged, and integrated. Effective policing always requires the involvement and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the security industry, the business sector, all government institutions and most importantly, our communities.
I must indicate that community and stakeholder engagement in crime prevention and combating are not new concepts within the government or the police environment. We have over the years belaboured the point that we need all hands on deck if we are to win the battle against crime, and we have seen that within the areas where communities are actively collaborating with the police, crime reduces considerably. We are continuing to encourage intensified involvement of the community, with the plea that you cannot sit with information that will make your community safer and ensure that your children can enjoy all
the rights and privileges bestowed upon them by the Constitution.
Crime has a severe impact on the quality of life of all South Africans, particularly the poor. High levels of crime also affect efforts to stimulate growth, increase investment and reduce poverty. As you are all aware, investment and growth require a safe, stable and crime-free environment. Most importantly, it is fundamental to the aspirations of all people to live in security, peace comfort and prosperity.
It is with this in mind that police visibility, effective training and better resourcing of police stations are the government’s priorities. Let me at this point applaud President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visionary decision to continue to direct significant resources and effort to fight crime and keep communities around the country safe, despite the shrinking government purse.
This will indeed go a long way in increasing police visibility on our streets and thereby act as a further deterrent to
criminal activities, especially in crime hotspots. The Minister has spoken about the 12 000 new police trainees that have been recruited to ensure that the SA Police Service, SAPS, urgently gets the capacity it needs. These additional resources have enabled us to start embarking on programmes that are intended to fight crime head-on. For the past two weeks throughout the country, over the weekend, we engaged in operations to fight crime in our streets and we have made tremendous progress in this regard. This has been made possible by this intervention by President Ramaphosa.
The additional personnel will assist the SAPS to, in addition to the priorities that the Minister mentioned earlier, strengthen its response to the growing problem of criminal groups that extort money from construction and other businesses. Of late, there has been a growing outcry about these extortion groups demanding protection fees even from people letting their backrooms as a source of livelihood. We are determined not to allow these to disrupt the lives of South African citizens, hence there have been, amongst others, collaborative efforts led by the SA Police Service together
with the prosecuting authority to combat these crimes of economic disruption.
Pursuant to the Cabinet intervention and having realised the extent to which crime and inadequate security contributed to Eskom challenges, the government has implemented the following interventions to deal with this issue; A SAPS-led Priority Committee for Energy Security; A 24-hour Mission Area Joint Operational Centre at Eskom Megawatt Park in Sunninghill; Planned Operations as well as Executed Actions.
These planned operations and executed actions are focused on combatting crime incidents at Eskom sites and other associated electrical infrastructure in an attempt to secure the power grid. A total of 461 Eskom case dockets were opened related to illegal and unregulated coal and fuel yards, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environmental Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
The SAPS Organised Crime Unit and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, DPCI, jointly reported a total of 120
dockets that were registered, which resulted in 98 arrests from January this year to date. We are on course. We will continue to fight and deal with the challenges we are confronted with as a country led by Minister Bheki Cele and General Masemola, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Ipid and the Civilian Secretariat because we together constitute what one calls the police family. We are mindful of the challenges that are there in Ipid, particularly the filling of vacant posts and we have instructed the management to finalise these issues because we believe it is critical that they should be fully functional and appropriately resourced. Thank you, Chair. [Time expired.]
Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: Hon House Chair, Amnesty International reports and the evidence points to a damning picture of discrimination, ruthless and excessive force by Israelis against the Palestinian people. Now House Chairperson, I had someone, on this side, saying the buck stops with the police force. I am not agreement with that. The buck stops with the politicians. We are the root cause of why our police officers are dying. Thirty five of them die every in this country. You
know Minister, when I saw your trainees during the weekend, I actually pitied them because my heart broke for them. Which one of them is going to be next once they are on the ground? At what cost? R13 a day now, danger allowance which is now increased to R23. We have not done them a favour.
How many of you, I ask again, would you put your children in the danger zone for R23 a day, taking the taxis, buses every day? How many of you are willing to do that? None of you are willing to do that but all of you are blaming the police officers. The police did not tell somebody to rape someone. They did not tell people to commit a crime. It is us. If you went to Kimberley, there is a 68% unemployment rate and hundreds of taverns with 80 000 of people only living there. Off sales, bottle stores, 60 some of them. One hundred and twenty seven of second hand dealers. This is what is happening. So, the problem is that we are creating a problem.
Now, what do you say to people like Donovan Prince’s family who was brutally murdered in Steen Villa at Steenberg? What do you say to Ashwin Pedro, Constable Breakfast’s family in the
Eastern Cape and Surgeon Mdoko’s family? All we do when they die mercilessly at the hands of the criminals, we are going there to offer condolences and motions and forget about them. Have you forgotten that it is those police officers that are out there while we are living in the gravy train? The officers that are going out there sacrificing their lives just to protect us and our families in this country. What are we doing to help them? Very little or nothing.
That is why we say Minister, there should be no tax for police officers up to a certain grade. We agree with that. We say, unless you give them and pay them well, they will be tempted to corruption. They will be tempted to looting because politicians are the ones that attract them to corrupt activities. So, we are saying, pay your police officers well so that they will be motivated. Give them descent houses. I heard that you are going to give out training to different provinces. Where are they going to live? Give them the housing that they deserve, the benefits that they deserve but more importantly, let politicians take responsibility for why the country is in a state that it is today. It is not the police
officers. They are there to prevent crime. You are creating the conducive environment and they must go and protect the people of this country. Thank you very much. The NFP supports this budget vote.
Ms N P PEACOCK: Hon Chairperson, before I start with my speech...
Afrikaans:
...ek wil net graag met die opposisie praat. Julle motiveer baie in ons vergaderings. Julle insettinge is baie goed, maar as julle op die podium staan, praat julle iets anders. Die belangrikse wat ons as die ANC sê is, ons kan nie die baba met die water uitgooi nie.
English:
We will save the child and will not allow the water to be thrown out with the baby. What we are going to do is to save the child.
Afrikaans:
En vandag sê ons, ons staan vir dit.
English
That is why we are saying we expected you to support this budget. I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Police Bheki Cele, hon Deputy Minister Ntate Cassel Mathale, National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, SA Police Service, SAPS delegation, hon Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mme Joemat- Petterson, members of the portfolio committee, hon members and fellow South Africans, good afternoon. In a country with a world-renowned and most progressive of Constitutions which guarantees equality and dignity for all, the women and children of South Africa live in fear of violence every day.
As we debate on this budget vote, we wish to pay our most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of victims of gender-based violence and femicide. Gender-based violence has long plagued South Africa and it remains a persistent issue that has taken lives, haunted citizens, and brought the
entire country to a standstill on many occasions. As such, President Ramaphosa declared it the second pandemic.
The reasons for gender-based violence are many. A significant factor, however, the high of unemployed South African men is a contributor to gender-based violence as most men who cannot provide for their families vent their anger on women and children. This is not a justification for violence against women. Gender empowerment is important for uprooting patriarchy and achieving gender equality.
SAPS has cleared its historic DNA backlog. I would love the hon Shembeni to listen what I am going to say. It was reported that, as of 16 February 2023, the DNA backlog which was initially over 241 thousand was at 1 600. There was an improvement. Put differently, this marked a 99.3% reduction in the country’s DNA backlog figures. There was a real reduction. We welcome the completion of the building and capacitation of the laboratory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. It will drastically relieve pressure from the Western Cape laboratory going forward.
Last year, 01 February, the Minister of Police reported that there had been a 9% drop in reported rape cases, according to the latest crime statistics and that dedicated gender-based violence desks were now available at 381 police stations across the country. Awareness campaigns are considered to have contributed to the reduction in reported rape due to gender- based violence.
Progressive pieces of legislation passed during the Sixth Administration include what are commonly known as the three Gender-Based Violence Acts amongst which is the Domestic Violence Amendment Act. This Act is meant to provide women with the highest form of protection from domestic violence, placing responsibility squarely on organs of state, particularly the SA Police Service, to ensure that survivors of domestic violence are able to apply for protection orders.
With the rise in intimate femicide and many abused women being failed by the system, it was evident that the implementation of the principal Act was imbued with inefficiencies hence the need for amendment Act. Among others, the Amendment Act aims
to extend the powers of members of the SA Police Service and peace officers to arrest persons in connection with domestic violence. To further regulate the obtaining of protection orders against domestic violence and the powers of the court with regard to the welfare of affected children. Provide for domestic violence safety monitoring notice that may be issued by the court. To provide for the attendance of witnesses at domestic violence proceedings.
The Domestic Violence Amendment Act facilitates the obtaining of protection orders against acts of domestic violence electronically. In the age of technology and growing use of cellphones and the internet, this move enables more women and people who are victims of domestic violence to obtain protection orders without having to physically go to the police station - day or night.
Over the Medium-Term Framework, the department’s key focus will be on implementing the national policing strategy. Key among the interventions that this strategy proposes are
improving community safety. Reducing gender-based violence and femicide. Combating serious and organised crimes.
Total expenditure is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 3,9% from R102,6 billion in 2022/23 to R114,9 billion in 2025/26, mainly due to the allocation of additional funding of R5,8 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period for cost of living adjustments and R7,8 billion for strengthening capacity at police stations.
Over the medium term, the department’s Visible Policing and Detective Services programmes will implement interventions in line with the national policing strategy that is aimed at combating gender - based violence and femicide, and improving support to victims. The interventions include establishing a fully-fledged gender-based violence desk, developing, implementing and monitoring action plan of the gender-based violence and sexual offences at police stations, the continued implementation of measures to eradicate the backlog of the DNA tracing and the verification backlog linked to crime scenes.
The integrated crime and violence prevention strategy adopted by government to address the strife of crime must be fast tracked in order to boost safety and security in the communities and the country as the whole. Over the MTEF, we encouraged the Hawks to further address the deficiency identified by the financial task force and implementation of recommendations to testify in the investigations to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. This will assist South Africa to move away from being grey listed.
The Hawks continue to be under capacitated and underfunded. However, over the Sixth Administration the personnel deficit has been reduced but most needs to be done to fully capacitate its elite crime fighting bodies. Despite the under capacitation the Hawks are doing extremely well and are having significant achievements in 2022. I will not be able to mention that because the Minister has covered all the achievements made by the Hawks.
As I conclude, we pay tribute and dedication to the hard- working men and women in blue. It is a trendless that attracts
most criticism but the ANC seized the efforts and we salute hence we support this budget. I thank you.
Setswana:
Ke a leboga.
Afrikaans:
Baie dankie.
Mr S M JAFTA: Hon Acting House Chair, the Police Ministry is one of the most undervalued Ministries in the country. We argue that this assessment maybe justified. This is not intended to undermine some of the sterling work of the police service such as the outstanding work of crime intelligence through its intelligence coronavirus disease, Covid, operations. This budget must therefore be ... [Inaudible.] ... The SA Police Service had 182 126 staff compliments at the end of 2020-21 financial year. Resignations have disseminated capacity of SA Police Service, SAPS. This has been worsened by internal corruption and acts of misconduct in the police service as reported by the Independent Police Investigative
Directorate, Ipid, in its annual report. We also note the challenges driven in the service such as poor policing and the crowd management and poor implementation of National Rural Safety Strategy.
There is, however, some achievements according to which this budget must target. This includes functional police stations, and network operations focus on ... [Inaudible.] ... illicit trade, of ferrous and nonferrous metals, fraud, corruption, gang and public violence. We also note the achievements of crime intelligence in fighting of the full spectrum of drug supply chain and trafficking. Hon members, these achievements are only limited, and the Minister has on one area work to harness the capacity of the police service. While we have always welcomed the Independence of the Police Investigative Directorate, we caution against complacence. No police officer must evade the full might of the law if they have committed crime.
The independence of Ipid is central to our democracy and to the security of our people. The vetting and lifestyle audits
of police officers must proceed with speed. We cannot afford to expose the Ministry to countless acts of corruption and gross misconduct. We must put resources to stem the tide against gender-based violence. This is the biggest calamity the Minister has to tackle with full speed. We support the Budget Vote. Thank you.
Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon Acting House Chairperson, we like to commend the portfolio committee for the oversight role to ensure that there’s a clean audit. Well-done, Chair. Also, as you know South Africa has a best Police Minister in Africa, and Al Jama-ah supports the work of our Minister of Police and wish him strength to bring crime to an end in South Africa.
However, Al Jama-ah calls on the South African police to arrest and charge the two Jewish Board based in Cape Town for supporting racism, a violation of international law which South Africa has signed. It is a criminal offense ... [Inaudible.] ... racism and apartheid Israeli. The United Nations resolution in apartheid made it mandatory that all member states to support the resolution against apartheid.
The member of the executive council, MEC, in the national ... [Inaudible.] ... apartheid as a crime and has called for the Israeli authority to be held accountable for apartheid crimes. Section 232 of the Constitution international law is law in the Republic. Therefore, it is very important for the police to do their work. We know the Minister is very busy in curbing crime in South Africa and we have commended him. However, he must not neglect his duties when South Africa has signed agreements to combat crime.
Al Jama-ah supports the media review network for extending the unwavering support to the Palestinian support foreign students at the University of Cape Town, UCT who are facing attacks on the ... [Inaudible.] ... Cape Town. We salute and commend the University of Cape Town who have been in the news for refusing to exam. Al Jama-ah also welcomes the increase of 3,9% capacity ... [Inaudible.] ... capacity to police stations.
Well-done Minister of Finance. Al Jama-ah supports this budget.
M. Gen O S TERBLANCHE: Hon Acting House Chairperson, hon members and fellow South Africans, Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Insanely, this is exactly what happens in South Africa. We are here again to approve another incrementally driven budget, but it’s still the same clumsy, top-heavy organisation, with the same outdated and often out of touch approach. The predictable outcome is that crime will remain out of control. The top 30 police stations in the country are only top in terms of highest crime statistics, not for crime detection or prevention. This has been the legacy since President Thabo Mbeki’s reign and it’s unacceptable.
Notably, visible policing and detective services are neglected repeatedly when section 205 of the Constitution makes it clear that these areas are part of the crucial focus areas for policing. In contrast, the budget doesn’t support this strategic importance, and both remains underfunded. Protection services are yet again overfunded and frankly raise serious concerns about the police inability to prioritise. The protection of very important persons, VIP’s, can never be
regarded as more important than serving the public. The impact of the recent exodus from the police by offering attractive early retirement packages has decimated police skills and capabilities and eroded their ability to perform duties that simply cannot be replenished in the short term. Middle management has largely been demolished, experience lost and few left to pass the baton on to the next level. Both Minister Bheki Cele and our National Commissioner Masemola are stubbornly resisting the devolution of police functions to lower government levels.
In reality, the skyrocketing serious crime statistics, Stats, and the severity thereof is generating a momentum of its own, steering in that direction and it simply cannot be stopped anymore. Cape Town’s law enforcement advancement plan, Leap, officers successes are steadily filtering through and has already let to the establishment of other units in Gauteng, Nelson Mandela Bay and others. These institutions found loopholes in other legislation to appoint these units as a deterrent for criminals in the areas where they govern. This trend in gaining traction and legislation like the Police
Amendment Bill will have to be finalised urgently to accommodate the new emerging policing model. This trend must be welcomed as it will speed up partnership policing where the public actively participate in the policing of their respective areas.
The independent Police Investitive Directorate, Ipid, has demonstrated its inability to fulfil its mandate. A lack of funding and professional leadership means that as at 28 February, there were still 14 063 active cases, with over
10 000 being backlogged cases. This number is growing daily, forcing Ipid to randomly pick cases to be investigated and setting a target of only 7% of cases to be prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority.
Likewise, the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service also fails to fulfil its mandate to provide oversight over the SAPS for safer and more secure communities through community participation, legislation and policy development. This department is leaderless at the moment with very negative
consequences. Therefore, now, the question is what can be done to rectify the situation?
The SA Constitution Bill of Rights aims to ensure, inter alia, the safety and security of all South African and the following steps will go a long way to bring that about: Firstly, transformation of the police service; demilitarisation; flattening of the rank and organisational structures; professionalisation by reintroduction of promotion exams and academic qualifications as a basis for promotion to higher levels; introduction of a new suitable policing model like total policing; community participation; appointment and training of reservists; devolution of powers; streamlining and devolution of procurement functions to lower levels; and technology like cameras, drones, etcetera.
However, most importantly ladies and gentlemen, through professional leadership, SAPS cannot be there by a compromised Minister. Serious allegations against the Minister must still be investigated, and we just don’t get there. The National Commissioner has no security clearance and thus unable to
perform his job. Thank you, Acting House Chairperson. I’m also klaar [fished.] [Time expired.]
Ms G P MAREKWA: Hon House Chair, the Minister of Police and the Deputy Minister, hon Members of Parliament, delegation from the SA Police Services, and all other visitors present here today, the ANC supports the Budget Vote. Let me start by making it clear. I wish to begin with a quote by our first democratically elected President, Rre Nelson Mandela, who, on the occasion of the launch of Crime Prevention, said the following, I quote:
We are long past blaming all our difficulties on our past. But it is at our peril that we ignore the roots of South Africa's high levels of crime in the apartheid era. It left us with a justice system pervaded with lawlessness and criminality. It corroded the moral fabric of our society.
It's legacy of poverty will take years to eradicate. For all these reasons our fight against the unacceptable levels of crime must be a many-sided one and have the active participation of every sector of society.
House Chairperson, the National Development Plan 2030, NDP, which is the brainchild of the ANC-led government, sets out a vision for safer communities, recognising the need to address the drivers of crime and violence, and acknowledging that crime and violence are not the sole responsibility of the police. Chapter 12 of the NDP 2030 also further states that and the White Paper on safety and security of 2016 also mentions those areas. This gives us the expression to the proposal of the national development by setting out an overarching framework for integrated action to prevent crime and violence.
The National development further requires, among others, that we build safer communities, promote accountability and fight corruption, and strengthen judicial governance and the rule of law. When we talk fighting crime in our communities, the ANC- led government has and is always committed in fighting crime against fraud and corruption and maladministration in all areas where it seems to exist.
In strengthening the fight against crime and corruption, the 2023 ANC lekgotla noted progress on key areas in the security sector. These include the additional recruitment of police officers and the strengthening of key institutions such as the National Prosecution Authority, NPA.
On the recruitment of police we saw, over the weekend, the number of young people that have given themselves and joined the police. We are making a call that fighting crime is a everyone’s responsibility; it doesn’t matter what race or whatever, we have to be there to fight crime.
The lekgotla also called for an integrated programme which will ensure that South Africa is a crime free society by 2030. Key actions will include, among others, assessing and strengthening community policing forums, strengthening witness protection and improving the management of migration.
The ANC lekgotla also echoed the 8 January statement in relation to the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF, and call for consideration to be placed on
having a specialised units just to deal with GBVF in our country.
As President Mandela alluded, fighting crime requires a collaborated many-sided approach. Moreover, fighting crime and corruption also requires a budget. In his 2023 Budget Speech, the Minister of Finance has indicated that government would be doing a number of things, including strengthening the capacity of the state and delivery of quality public services, investing in infrastructure and fighting crime and corruption. The Minister also indicated the need to crack down on criminality in the construction sector, and that extortion and intimidation of lawfully appointed contractors and their workers will not be tolerated any longer.
On illicit trades, the Minister indicated that over the past three years, the South African Revenue Services, Sars, has taken several steps to enhance its effectiveness in combating illicit trade, particularly in tobacco. In February 2023, completed 2 316 seizures of cigarettes and tobacco products to the value of R 598 million. The Minister announced that R14
billion has been allocated to the medium term to fight crime and corruption, with the Saps getting an allocated amount of R7,8 billion.
One of the weak points which have been identified in the criminal justice system, is a silo approach in the fight against crime, fraud and corruption. Notwithstanding the existing challenges, we can appreciate the levels of collaboration and co-ordination between the Investigative Directorate Asset for future units, the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, Special Investigating Unit and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
We encourage the different role players in the justice value chain to continue working together in order to fight crime and make South Africa a safer place. We call on all municipalities to continue strengthening their bylaws in ensuring that they address the most potential crimes even before they are committed. This relates to areas of the selling of alcohol, among others, within our municipal boundaries. As we note that
most of the crimes including GBVF are as a result of the use of or abuse of alcohol and other intoxicating substances.
The third quarter crime figures show that while there are increases in contact crime such as murder, assault and robberies, there is a significant improvement in crimes detected as a result of police action and that we need to applaud our men and women in blue. It has been reported that there are signs of improvement in crimes such as cash-in- transit heists and bank robberies, which have reported decreases in the period of reporting. These decreases are attributed to the increased police visibility through patrol, stop and search operations, vehicle checkpoints and roadblocks.
The importance of visible policing cannot be emphasised enough. Community policing forums were foundational to the South African transition into democracy. When first established, they provided a bridge between the police and the community. In a context of a deep mistrust and hostility towards the police, with the alarming levels of crime, it is
important to reflect that the 2014 report of the Khayelitsha Commission shows that communities with the most crime may also have least functional community policing forums, CPFs. It is for those reason that there is a need to work with and enhance the role of community policing forums in bringing the police and communities together in an effort to solve challenges of crime. If we work together, we can really make our country safe.
We appreciate and welcome the efforts by IPID towards establishing offices in more of the towns, including the Namaqualand in the Northern Cape. We welcome the work done by the DPCI in ensuring that those who kill police officers are brought to book. In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the killing of people, especially those entrusted with the duty of ensuring the safety of everyone in this country.
In conclusion, the government will continue to ensure that all citizens, including all vulnerable groups, are protected and taken care of in terms of their safety in the streets of this country. We all want a safer South Africa. Let me also quote
that, “The only thing necessary for a for the triumph of evil is for good man to do nothing”. Now, it is up to us to ask who the good man is. The ANC supports this Budget Vote. House Chairperson, I thank you.
The MINISTER OF POLICE: House Chair, thanks to the members that have contributed constructively. Hon member Whitfield says he didn’t hear us saying about the police who lost their lives on the line of duty. If you read the speech, you will see that so much has been said. However, we are not only saying things, for instance, I was part of the funeral of the police that was killed in court in Gqeberha. A 42 years old surgent who left behind a 15, seven and a four years old. All those are taken care of and are given police bursaries.
All police members who die on the line of duty are taken care of until they pass their first degree. That trust was created by a certain national commissioner in 2010. It never existed before that until then. More than thousands of students have been taken care of and we are not just talking about it, we
are giving support to those orphans of the police who die in the line of duty.
We are calling on the communities to be part of that and to make sure that we fight the scourge of killing police, and police themselves to be more vigilant when it comes to that matter.
Hon Groenewald, I think the Deputy Minister has spoken. Please bring those cases forward so that we can take care of them.
Unfortunately, umfundisi [Reverend] has just left. Maybe that is why he is backdated because he speaks and leaves. He never sits down to listen to get answers. All the things he said about DNA are outdated. Everything he said is outdated. I will try, because he is umfundisi [a reverend], to sit down with him and update him about these matters going forward.
Thank you to all members who raised things and we are taking them in board and hope that they will take us forward.
Hon Terblanche was a general when he left. He was responsible for building the police stations. That was his job. I remember him very well, maybe he will also remember, that we met in a plane. He was from KwaZulu-Natal to look after the station called Ntsuze and you promised me that it will be built, but it has not been built ... Hang on. You were responsible for building police station. Instead of building the police station ... I am not going to tell you what you did, but the crux of the matter is that there is no use for you to come here and throw stones as if you were not part of the problem. You were part of the problem that the police are serving now. You were general and we gave you a budget. You took a flight from Johannesburg to Pretoria and you told me that in three months that police station would be built. That was 2010 when you were responsible for that. Therefore ...
IsiZulu:
... ungezi la uzozenza ungcwele kube kuwuwena oshiye izinto zimapeketwane nabantu owawusebenza nabo. Kufanele uchaze izono zakho. Uchaze izono zakho ukuthi okungenzeki nawe kwakuhlula.
Wawukhona, wanikwa ithuba, wangakwenza. Niyeza la nizobanga umsindo la engathi wawungekho. Wawukhona.
English:
... therefore, it is important to be honest. It is important to have a conscience and tell the truth of what happened during your time. You were there and didn’t do anything. Even today we are facing those backlogs. I am inviting you, once in your lifetime, to tell the truth. Thank you very much.
The CHAIRPERSON (Mr S O R Mahumapelo): Hon members, thank you very much. I just want to remind you of two things: The debate on Public Enterprises Budget Vote will be taking place at 16:15 here at Good Hope Chamber, and the Budget Vote for Public Works and Infrastructure will take place at 16:15 at Room M46.
Debate concluded.
The Mini Plenary rose at 16:00
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