ATC170906: Report of the Select Committee on Security and Justice on an oversight visit to the Free State Province to conduct oversight of a police station in Mafube Local Municipality and to determine the effectiveness of the rural safety policing strategy in those areas, held from 14 – 18 August 2017, report dated 6 September 2017

NCOP Security and Justice

Report of the Select Committee on Security and Justice on an oversight visit to the Free State Province to conduct oversight of a police station in Mafube Local Municipality and to determine the effectiveness of the rural safety policing strategy in those areas, held from 14 – 18 August 2017, report dated 6 September 2017.
 

Mafube Police Station, Mafube Local Municipality

1. Background:

The Select Committee on Security and Justice (the Committee), as part of its mandate to provide a national forum for the public consideration of issues affecting the provinces, conducted an oversight visit to Mafube Local Municipality following observations by the Select Committee about the need to ensure the SAPS are equipped and resourced to reduce the incidence of crime in rural areas.

 

2.     Delegation:

2.1.   The oversight delegation was composed of the following members: 

Province	Political Party	Present
Eastern Cape	African National Congress	Hon T Wana
Free State	African National Congress	Hon Mr MJ Mohapi
	Democratic Alliance	Hon Mr G Michalakis
Gauteng	Democratic Alliance	Hon B Engelbrecht
KwaZulu-Natal	Democratic Alliance	Hon Mr M Chetty
Limpopo	African National Congress	Hon Mr MD Monakedi
Mpumalanga	African National Congress	Hon Mr MT Mhlanga
Northern Cape	African National Congress	Hon Ms G Manopole
North West	Economic Freedom Fighters	Hon Ms TJ Mokwele
Western Cape	African National Congress	Hon Mr DL Ximbi (Committee Chairperson)

 

The following parliamentary staff supported the Committee: Mr G Dixon – Committee Secretary, Ms A Van Der Burg – Content Advisor, and Ms P Whittle – Committee Researcher.

 

1. Briefing on the Mafube Police Station, Masilonyane Municipality, Free State Province

Frankfort is situated on the banks of the Wilge river in the Free State province and is serviced by the N3 and two other national roads, the R26 and R34. Frankfort has a population of 26 144 people according to Census 2011 while the farms total another 2420 people. The area has two informal settlements namely Phomolong and Phahameng.

 

The area serviced by the Mafube police station is 1380 square kilometres wherein 8 schools, 2 hospitals, 4 clinics, 9 bottle stores, 19 taverns, 491 farms, 2 courts and 1 National Key Point is situated. Mafube police station has 42 visible policing members, 10 detectives and 25 support personnel. The station has an approved and funded total of 89 police officials but has only filled 77 of those posts.

 

The crime rate in the area is focussed mainly on assault GBH, burglary at residential premises, assault common, burglary at non-residential premises and stock theft amongst other crimes. The stock theft between 2016 and 2017 was reduced by30% from 20 cases in 2016 down to 14 cases in 2017. However, assault GBH rose by 61.5% year on year from 24 cases in 2016 to 39 cases in 2017.

 

Crime combatting strategies

The cluster has a well-resourced police station but a low crime rate compared to other centres of similar population density. The station employs various strategies to engage the community. The station increased the visible policing patrols and performed random stop searches. This proved effective as it resulted in dangerous weapons being left at home or thrown away when seeing an approaching police officer.

 

The station also employs a soft approach to crime reduction through extensive community involvement, school visits, distribution of pamphlets, partnership with stakeholders, mass prayer services and anti-crime messages. The SAPS recently held an Imbizo at Mafube to address domestic violence and social ills such as drugs and another Imbizo was held on 19 July 2017 to address business robberies, etc.  

 

Rural safety strategy

The area has 491 farms of which 298 is occupied with 193 unoccupied. The area has rural safety coordinators with regular registers taken and a rural safety portfolio of evidence in place. The station, in collaboration with the farming community, have blue white patrols, regular patrols to farms and schools, patrols to the auction site and an active farm watch. The auction also assists the police in identifying stolen stock brought for auction.

 

1. Committee Observations

Community Police Forum (CPF)

The CPF structures are functioning and meeting once per month. They do assist the police and there is a good working relationship. The Cluster board sits once per quarter where all CPF chairpersons attend and report on how they implemented their plans. The SAPS attempts to share best practices.

 

Working relationship with Local Municipality

The station has a healthy working relationship with the municipality and regularly holds joint operations although the municipality does not have a local law enforcement agency, the local counsellors are involved and assist operations. There is a continuous initiative between the SAPS and the municipality to combat drugs and build relationships with local stakeholders to improve law enforcement.

 

Crime prevention framework

The SAPS with the local municipalities, developed crime prevention strategies specific to the area. The challenge remains that SAPS still has not developed a crime prevention forum. The four pillars of the national crime prevention strategy determines how the community is involved in the exercise of crime prevention. The SAPS reported that the top level meeting with Premier, MECs and mayors are taking place on a regular basis.

 

The Speaker of the municipality acknowledged the SAPS relationship and indicated that during the IDP processes the SAPS should submit their plan in terms of the intergovernmental relationship. There is a good working relationship within the clusterand the station commander is part of the stakeholder forum.

 

SAPS police official’s morale

The SAPS acknowledged that morale at Mafube was not measured scientifically but morale was addressed when low. The Mafube police station has a dedicated AFW office, chaplain and psychologist present to assist members. SAPS hosts sports days to boost morale. There are challenges but SAPS has support internally and externally to deal with the root cause of the problems. There is a cluster awards ceremony called the "Future Leaders Programme". The programme is aimed at improving the skills of younger officers and as a means of passing on knowledge. This is an attempt to teach members not to be held captive by their circumstances but to overcome their circumstances. The station has further developed relationships with stakeholders in Home Affairs, SARS and ABSA to assist members to deal with each complaint as if it is the most important complainant. The SARS and Home Affairs are both public service entities that inculcate a culture of service and follow up. This was carried across to the service. The Mafube police station also has a recognition system for persons empowering themselves or to recognise whether someone has done something good.

 

Challenges in Rural Safety Strategy

The SAPS indicated there was only one vehicle available to patrol the farming communities to cover an area of approximately 19 hectares. The SAPS indicated the ideal allocation would be 19 vehicles but they only have 10 at the moment as some vehicles are in for repair or service. Staff shortages are also a challenge in terms of the effective implementation of the rural safety strategy and the Mafube police station is trying to balance the competing interests in the community. The CPF structures are aware of the challenges and they are also aware that this is a national situation. Another challenge is that fewer community stakeholders attend meetings which impacts on having a joint approach to address rural safety issues within the area.

 

Gender based classification and outreach

The SAPS noted that the gender based violence statistics are not correctly classified as they are recorded under assault. The SAPS acknowledged that this was a problem. The SAPS indicated that they regularly presented the laws protecting women and the recourse available to them in terms of the law. FCS specialized unit explains a person's rights in terms of the law. The SAPS acknowledged it had not had gender based campaigns in the past four months and would rectify the situation. Women abuse campaigns are not enough and they are lacking on public education campaigns. Proper information is not disseminated at the right level.

 

Indebtedness of SAPS officials

Members noted the efforts made by the SAPS to address the low morale but encouraged SAPS to address the root causes more aggressively to help struggling officers, rather than passing the problem on to professional services and when there is no improvement eventual disciplinary procedures. The SAPS must develop a strategy to address the causal factors affecting the morale of police officers.  The last mass promotion period was in 2015 but this did not address the many officers who for 11 years serve before being promoted to sergeant. A similar situation exists with the reservists that faithfully serve but receive no assistance if they should fall ill or pass away.

 

Sectoral policing

The Speaker of the Municipality requested the SAPS to consider reinstating the sectoral policing as it was highly functional because people knew who was responsible for specific areas. The Speaker noted that the SAPS response times were good despite the lack of vehicles.

 

SAPS Response

SAPS agreed to relook at the sector policing mentioned by the Speaker.

SAPS acknowledged its flaws in respect  of public education and agreed to work on improving in this area by asking other professionals to assist.

 

Committee Recommendations

 

1. That the police station will ensure that it works with the municipality and develops and submits its IDP to the municipality.

2. That SAPS should conduct an evaluation of the root causes affecting police officer's low morale and then develop a strategy aimed at addressing the root causes to improve the morale of police officers.

3. The police station will improve its awareness raising strategies in respect of gender based violence and report back to the Committee on its progress.

 

Report to be considered.