Nie Cele
Tough talking and bellicose Gauteng Community Safety MEC, Faith Mazibuko has issued a stern warning that Gauteng needs more informers and whistleblowers that will assist law enforcers in reducing crime and nefarious acts in the province.
Mazibuko was addressing the media at a joint briefing after delivering her department’s Budget Vote Speech and priorities for Community Safety Department at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
“We still need izimpimpi. Get registered and remain anonymous. We remain resolute in our efforts to fight crime vandalism , corruption and lawlessness. We have identified the fight against crime as Apex priority in the province.”
READ BELOW AN UNFILTERED BUDGET VOTE SPEECH AND PRIORITIES RELEASE PRONOUNCED TO THE MEDIA BY THE MEC AT A PRESS BRIEFING.
Gauteng Community Safety accelerates the fight against crime, corruption, vandalism, and lawlessness The Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Ms Faith Mazibuko has vowed to accelerate the fight against crime, corruption, vandalism and lawlessness. This was outlined in the Budget Vote speech for the department on Friday 26 May 2023, at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
MEC Mazibuko pronounced bold plans and priorities for the 2023/23 financial year, highlighting that the Department of Community Safety has received a total budget of R2 706 192 000.00 (two billion, seven hundred and six million, and one hundred and ninety-two thousand rands) for the 2023/24 financial year.
R 178 344 000.00 (One hundred and seventy-eight million, three hundred and forty-four thousand rands) will be channeled towards Administration, to fulfill the mandate of the Department in implementing the Service Delivery Model (SDM) and organizational structure.
Provincial Secretariat will receive R 268 689 000.00 (Two hundred and sixty-eight million, six hundred and eighty-nine thousand rands) in an effort to strengthen police oversight programmes and provide the necessary support to the law enforcement agencies to reduce crime in the province.
The Traffic Management received the bulk of the budget with R 2 259 159 000.00 (Two billion, two hundred and fifty-nine million, one hundred and fifty nine allocated for Drunk Driving Operations, Pedestrian Operations and Education campaigns and the Resuscitation of Road Safety Councils.
In implementing the Growing Gauteng Together (GGT2030) plan, the Department has also set aside R 1 491 177 to give effect to the elevated priorities and to intensify efforts in the fight against crime, corruption, vandalism, and lawlessness.
“The Department is finalising the recruitment of the 6 000 Crime Prevention Wardens, with over 4 000 wardens already deployed in the 361 Townships, Informal Settlements, and Hostels (TISH) wards.
“This is in line with the Department’s goal of improving police visibility and introducing the concept of ward-based policing at a local level. The wardens will augment the work of law enforcement officials and improve the response time to criminal incidents in hotspot areas,” said MEC Mazibuko.
Fighting crime is an apex priority and the Department is allocating resources to fight against crime, corruption, vandalism, and lawlessness through e-Policing initiatives. Law enforcement agencies will receive enhanced tools of trade such as high-quality drones, surveillance cameras, high powered, patrol vehicles and helicopters. Moreover, the provincial government will continue to pursue private-public partnerships to enhance crime fighting initiatives.
“To date, two helicopters and 200 patrol vehicles have been procured. The Department is working closely with the Gauteng Department of eGovernment in procuring 144 drones and 351 fully functional surveillance cameras to be installed across Gauteng TISH areas. The Department will also work hand in hand with the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Human Settlements to alleviate incidents of lawlessness such illegal land occupation and damage to state infrastructure,” added MEC Mazibuko.
The Department will channel R65.9 million as part of strengthening partnerships towards the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. This is in line with the National Plan of Action against Genderbased Violence and Femicide (GBVF). This critical work will be done in collaboration with departments in the provincial government, civil society organizations and the private sector.
It is important to note that much work still needs to be done to eliminate the scourge of GBVF as a pandemic. With this said, the Department will continue to provide support through the work of the GBVF brigades who amplify the work of government in our communities.
The roll-out of e-Panic buttons and e- Panic Apps will see close to 100 000 vulnerable families benefitting from the system. Communities will be able to receive a rapid response in reported crime incidents and a reduction in Gender-based Violence and Femicide cases. The Department plans to roll-out 38 Green Doors in the current fiscal year, with a focus on the TISH areas due to the high number of GBVF cases reported in those areas.
In ensuring police visibility in communities, the Department will set aside funds to ensure that Community Policing Forums are capacitated through training programmes. Furthermore, police visibility will be increased through heightened law enforcement operations including the Okae Molao campaign, which will be carried out by the South African Police Service (SAPS), supported by the Crime Prevention Wardens.
Meanwhile, the Department will during this financial year fulfill the long outstanding vision of establishing a Provincial Integrated Command Centre. The Command Centre includes the integration of technological advancements and tools into safety efforts with particular emphasis on priority crimes and stronger coordination with the Criminal Justice cluster. This intervention will contribute to the utilization of technology to improve policing in the province.
The Fight against corruption is a continuous one, the Department will continue to hold the monthly Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Recommendations meetings with SAPS, Metropolitan Police Departments and IPID to ensure that officials are accountable and ethical in their behaviour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUPPLIED.
