ATC200715: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the Adjusted Budget Vote 21, Civilian Secretariat for Police Services (CSPS), dated 15 July 2020

Police

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the Adjusted Budget Vote 21, Civilian Secretariat for Police Services (CSPS), dated 15 July 2020.

 

1.         Introduction

The Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B09-2020] and Adjustments Appropriation Bill, 2020 [B10-2020] was tabled on 24 June 2020 by the Minister of Finance. The purpose of the Bill was to mitigate the measures Departments had to take to deal with the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the country. This was after the President declared a national lockdown on 15 March 2020. 

On the 21st of April 2020 the President announced a R500 billion fiscal support package that includes spending towards COVID-19 priorities. On 30 April National Treasury published on the “Economic Measures for COVID-19”, outlining an R500bn response, as well as identifying the funding sources for the package. Part of the funding sources for this package is a R130 billion baseline re-prioritisation in the 2020/21 financial year. The Special Adjustment Budget seeks to modify the 2020/21 budget to utilise current baseline allocations to provide for the rapidly changing economic conditions and enable spending on the COVID-19 response. A revised fiscal framework has been presented, to account for substantial revenue losses emanating from the economic shock of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

The Adjustment Budget has implications for the Civilian Secretariat for Police (Vote 21) as police officers are at the frontline of fighting the pandemic through policing the Lockdown Regulations

 

2.         The Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the mandate of the Department

The mandate of the Civilian Secretariat for police Services (CSPS) is derived from the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service Act (No. 2 of 2011) and Section 208 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,1996 and it allows for the Department to:

• Provide the Minister with policy advice and research support;
• Develop policy through qualitative and evidence based research;
• Provide civilian oversight of the Police Service through monitoring and evaluating overall police performance;
• Mobilise role-players, stakeholders and partners outside the department through engagements on crime prevention and other policing matters; and
• Provide other support services to the Minister in pursuit of achieving his/her mandate.

The CSPS has their budget of R156 million cut by R12 million. This is comprised of cuts of R1.3 million from Compensation of Employees, R10.3 million from the Goods and Services budget and R350 000 from the Machinery and Equipment sub-programme. This has resulted in the cutting of some of the programmes of the CSPS. The outcomes are aligned to the social justice strategy, with no significant changes. The Departmental baseline outline were not available at the time of the consideration of the Adjustment Budget and they reflect the performance of the Department. The Department has identified 10 out of 29 output indicators that are affected. 

The real impact of the budget cuts to the Department will see that fieldwork to conduct Community Police Forum (CPF) monitoring and assessment reports, be suspended. The quarterly targets of the Department will also be shifted from the 3rd to the 4th quarters. The sub-programme of izimbizos will be reduced from the stipulated target of eight to four and the Department has to resort to using virtual platforms.

There are a number of legislative research policy briefs on policing and safety that will be affected by the budget cuts. This include a brief on a five-year trend analysis on car-jacking and trio crimes that will be affected.

 

3.         Analysis of the Adjustment Budget on Programmes

The CSPS received a main appropriation of R156.3 million in 2020/21, which was a nominal increase of 9.2% (increase of R13.2 million) in comparison to the previous financial year. R12 million was suspended from the Department’s budget, which is a nominal decrease of 8.3%. The revised allocation of the CSPS is R144.312 million. R210 thousand was reallocated for the procurement of personal protective equipment for employees.

The R12 million suspension of spending on various Goods and services, Machinery and equipment, and Compensation of employees is due to the restrictions on economic activity. R1.286 million was taken from the compensation of employees’ budget.

Table 1: CSPS Vote adjustments: Revised programme allocations

R thousand	Main budget	Suspension of funds (COVID-19 purposes)	Virements from (COVID-19 purposes)	Virements to (COVID-19 purposes)	2020/21	2020/21	Increase/ Decrease
					Total net change proposed	Total allocation proposed
Programmes
Administration	69,412	-6,150	-210	210	-6,150	63,262	-8.86%
Intersectoral Coordination and Strategic Partnerships	26,743	-1,604	–	–	-1,604	25,139	-5.99%
Legislation and Policy Development	24,796	-1,623	–	–	-1,623	23,173	-6.54%
Civilian Oversight, Monitoring and Evaluations	35,361	-2,623	–	–	-2,623	32,738	7.42%
Total	156,312	-12,000	-210	210	-12,000	144,312	-8.3%
Economic classification
Current payments	154,283	-11,650	-210	210	-11,650	142,633	-7.45%
Compensation of employees	112,047	-1,286	–	–	-1,286	110,761	-1.14%
Goods and services	42,236	-10,364	-210	210	-10,364	31,872	-24.54%
Transfers and subsidies	208	–	–	–	–	208	-
Provinces and municipalities	6	–	–	–	–	6	-
Departmental agencies and accounts	202	–	–	–	–	202	-
Payments for capital assets	1,821	-350	–	–	-350	1,471	-19.22%
Machinery and equipment	1,756	-350	–	–	-350	1,406	-19.93%
Software and other intangible assets	65	–	–	–	–	65	-
Payments for financial assets	–	–	–	–	–	–	-
Total	156,312	-12,000	-210	210	-12,000	144,312	-8.3%

Source: National Treasury: Adjustment Budget 2020

 

3.1        Revised programme allocations:

• The Main Budget of the Administration Programme decreased from R69.412 million to a Revised Allocation of R63.262 million, which is a decrease of R6.150 million, or -8.86%.

 

• The Main Budget of the Intersectoral Coordination and Strategic Partnerships Programme decreased from R26.743 million to a Revised Allocation of R25.139 million, which is a decrease of R1.604 million, or -5.99%.

 

• The Main Budget of the Legislation and Policy Development Programme decreased from R24.796 million to a Revised Allocation of R23.173 million, which is a decrease of R1.623 million, or -6.54%.

 

• The Main Budget of the Civilian Oversight, Monitoring and Evaluations Programme decreased from R35.361 million to a Revised Allocation of R52.738 million, which is a decrease of R2.626 million, or -7.42%.

 

4.         Performance indicators

The Department changed the definition of various output indicators. These technical details are contained in the Technical Indicator Description (TID). For instance, the Department had a target to facilitate the implementation of the 2016 White Paper on Safety and Security, which was changed to conduct research on the Constitutional mandate of the SAPS.

 

4.1        Programme 2: Inter-sectoral Coordination and Strategic Partnerships

The Department also changed the definition of the output indicator to measure the number of monitoringreports on implementing Community Policing Forum (CPF) regulations/ standards approved by theSecretary for Police per year. The approved indicator definition was to oversee the uniform applicationof the standards. The new definition is to assess the effectiveness and functionality of CPFs.

Table 2: Changed targets: Programme 2: Inter-sectoral Coordination and Strategic Partnerships

OUTCOME	OUTPUT	OUTPUT INDICATORS	APPROVED TARGET 2020/21	PROPOSED NEW TARGET FOR 2020/21
Improved community police relations	Monitoring reports on the implementation of CPF regulations/ standards	Number of monitoring reports on implementing Community Policing Forum (CPF) regulations/ standards approved by the Secretary for Police per year Definition of indicator changed	2	The Annual Target of 2 oversight reports remain unchanged. Only changed in quarterly targets. The report planned for Q2 will be completed in Q3.
Improved community participation in	Attendance registers/reports/ pamphlets	Number of Izimbizo/public participation programs held	8	4
the fight against crime		with communities to promote community safety per year

Source: CSPS (2020)

 

4.2        Programme 3: Policy Development and Research

A key output of the CSPS in the 2020/21 financial year is the facilitation the implementation of the 2016 White Paper on Safety and Security. The Department did not change the target for this indicator, but removed it entirely and substituted it with a completely new indicator. The new target is to conduct research on whether SAPS is executing its Constitutional mandate, specifically focusing on the analysis of murder dockets. The study spans over two financial years (2020/21 and (2021/22).

Table 3: Changed targets: Programme 3: Policy Development and Research

OUTCOME	OUTPUT	OUTPUT INDICATORS	APPROVED TARGET 2020/21		PROPOSED NEW TARGET FOR 2020/21
Improved collaboration, coordination and integration on safety, crime and violence prevention with the three spheres of government	Approved reports on facilitating implementation of the 2016 White Paper on Safety & Security	Number of reports on facilitating implementation of the White Paper on Safety & Security submitted to the Secretaryfor approval Definition of indicator changed	1		-
		New Target: Number of research briefs on policing and safety		-	3

Source: CSPS (2020)

 

4.3        Programme 4: Civilian Oversight, Monitoring and Evaluation

The Department also changed the definition of the output indicator to measure the number of Police Oversight Reports approved by the Secretary per year. The approved definition was to measure police performance and service delivery. The new definition is reports produced on assessing the implementation of the Programme of Action from the Ministerial Retreat, and the assessment of the Detective Services components at the top 34 high-crime police stations.

The Department also changed the definition of the output indicator to measure the number of reports on the implementation of and compliance to legislation and policies approved by the Secretary per year. The approved definition was to measure compliance trends with regard to the implementation of and compliance by the SAPS with policy directions and instructions based on monitoring and evaluation reports. The new definition is to produce reports to reflect compliance trends with regard to the assessment of the performance of the top 34 high-crime police stations linked to the deployment of Generals and allocation of resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4: Changed targets: Programme 4: Civilian Oversight, Monitoring and Evaluation

OUTCOME	OUTPUT	OUTPUT INDICATORS	APPROVED TARGET 2020/21	PROPOSED NEW TARGET FOR 2020/21
Transformed and accountable police service	Approved Oversight Reports	Number of Police Oversight Reports approved by the Secretary per year Definition of indicator changed	2	The Annual Target of 2 oversight reports remain unchanged. It only changed in quarterly targets. The report planned for Q2 will be completed in Q3.
	Approved reports on the implementation and compliance to legislation and policies	Number of reports on the implementation of and compliance to legislation and policies approved by the Secretary per year. Definition of indicator changed	2	1

 Source: CSPS (2020)

 

 

 

5.         Observations and Findings

Community Police Relations

The Committee noted that community police relationships took a step back during levels 4 and 5of the lockdown, as the CPFs were not allowed to assist the police during these lockdown levels. This caused miscommunication and damaged relationships between the community and the police. The Committee wanted to know how the Secretariat intended repairing the relationships.

Police discipline

Members raised questions about how the Department deals with police misconduct when they receive such complaints. Members questioned how the Department was relating to the complaints received by IPID of police brutality, as they felt that the IPID should follow up on the policy implications of such complaints.

Ethical and Developmental state

Members noted that while the Department speaks to the notion of the ethical and developmental state, the levels of activity of the department has been reduced and this would not assist people. Members wanted to know how the Department would be able to assist people.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

The Committee requested that the Department provide a breakdown on the purchase of personal protection equipment, especially hand sanitizer as there were different prices for the same item. Members wanted to make sure that the Department was not over-paying for the items.

Budget performance

The Committee noted that the Department has only spent 18% of its budget on performance and they have limited successes. The Department should be doing oversight and make sure that it succeeds in this. The Committee pointed out that the Department has not put virtual meetings in place and wanted to know why it did not do so.

 

 

6.         Secretariat Responses

The Secretariat noted that the budget cuts in the Compensation of Employees portion of the budget was made because of savings the Department made between April-June in which it saved R1.2 million.  It would have no impact on how the Department functions and the savings were sourced from items such a travelling. In view of the Department not engaging in community participation projects, travelling, hiring of venues, stationery and printing costs were reduced.

According to the Department, R210 000 was put aside for PPE, although it has only placed orders for R110 000. There are 152 people on the staff establishment and they have only employed 142 people. One of the reasons for this is the fact that the Department employed three persons and three resigned. 

As far as the CPFs were concerned, one of the biggest stumbling blocks to their participation during level 4 and 5 of the lockdown, was the fact that they were not covered for insurance purposes and nobody would take responsibility if they were infected with the COVID-19 virus. The Department informed the Committee that they raised the participation of CPFs during the lockdown levels 4 and 5 at the NatJoints and they heard the Department. As a result, the CPFs are back on board during level 3 of the lockdown. The Department was engaging with CPFs and dealing with the issue.

The Department noted that it was not responsible for monitoring the conduct of the police, but that they look at the reduction of claims and complaints against the police. The Department forms opinions on the highest number of complaints against the police and it monitors investigations against the police.

As far as procurement, the way the Department worked showed that it was making a difference. The Annual Performance Plan had all the indicators for supply chain management. In addition, the procurement system in government was not effective because the supply chain management officers were reluctant to negotiate the price down with suppliers, lest they be accused of corruption.

 

 

 

7.         Recommendations

The Committee made the following recommendations: 

1. The Committee recommends that the Civilian Secretariat thoroughly engage CPF members to participate fully in supporting the police during the lockdown.
2. The Committee recommends that the Department should consider including a stipend for CPF members when it reviews the SAPS Act.
3. The Committee recommends that Department should consider working closely with the IPID to do research on police discipline and misconduct and develop policy proposals for a turnaround strategy.
4. The Committee recommends that the Department should consider its service delivery role when it comes to assisting people who approaches it for support.
5. The Committee recommends that the Department should provide a breakdown of its PPE purchases.
6. The Committee recommends that the Department start putting virtual meetings in place in order to attain its performance targets.

 

8.         Conclusion

The Portfolio Committee on Police, having considered the Adjustment Budget for Vote 21, Civilian Secretariat for Police Services, supports the 2020 Adjustment Budget. The Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters reserved its rights with respect to the adoption of the report.

 

Report to be considered