Date: 09/07/2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: P Pasha: MUNIMEC/Community Safety Forum Indaba
OPENING ADDRESS AT THE MUNIMEC/COMMUNITY SAFETY FORUM INDABA BY MPUMALANGA MEC FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, MEC PE PASHA, 9 July 2004
Honourable Councillors and municipal managers,
Secretary of the Civilian Secretariat from the National Department of Safety and Security,
Heads of departments,
Officials from the Civilian Secretariat of the Eastern Cape,
Management of the SAPS,
Senior managers from the Criminal Justice Cluster,
members of the Provincial and Area CPF Boards,
representatives from Business Against Crime and Officials from provincial government departments.
In the spirit of co-operate governance, I welcome you and feel humbled in addressing you formally as part of my primary responsibility in strengthening our integrated and collaborative effort in addressing crime generally in Mpumalanga.
Your presence here today is a true reflection of your resolve to ensure that we create a safe and secure environment conducive for economic development in our province.
It is quite evident that crime is not exclusively the responsibility of the Department of Safety and Security that is both the SAPS and the Civilian Secretariat.
As custodians of our people we represent their expectations and aspirations.
The many contributory causes of crime have been researched, documented and incorporated in various policies of government, especially in the White paper for Safety and Security of 1999 with regard to the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
The provincial government has to a large extent sensitised all the various role players and their responsibilities. However the impact of this multi-agency approach has not been effective enough at the local level, where our people can attest to, as it may not have made a major impact on their lives.
On 24 June 2004 President Mbeki held and extended Cabinet Committee meeting with Ministers, Premiers and Mayors in order to emphasise the need for improved interaction between the three tiers of government in terms of planning, allocation of resources and execution of government programmes and priorities.
One of the key role players in ensuring that there is a community safety plan within each local area is the local municipality. They should be entrusted to co-ordinate all the relevant stakeholders at local level, be it the local SAPS, CPFs, Correctional Services, the various components of the Justice departments, business and provincial government departments in developing a plan in preventing crime, based on the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
We all know that each one of these stakeholders have a pertinent role in preventing crime, in reducing the recurrence of crime by the same offenders, combating crime by visible policing, sector policing, by improving investigative procedures and by ensuring that the local community participates through awareness and understanding their roles and responsibilities.
The cornerstone of our democracy is this very participative and transparent process, so that as a united front, sharing a common vision we will overcome the challenges in overcoming crime and criminality.
Recently, in the media, Justice Fagan confirmed that there is a need for alternative sentencing in order to enhance our rehabilitative approach to sentenced offenders. I believe, with the introduction of community courts and restorative justice strategies, this will be made possible, so that we do not congest our prisons with offenders for petty crimes and for those that have the potential for appropriate rehabilitation.
For this to be a success, we need the understanding and support of all of you, who broadly represent the interest of our communities.
All the aspect of our local safety plans must be part of the Integrated Development Plans of municipalities, so that it can be costed, implemented, monitored and evaluated in line with the MTEF and the Performance Management Systems of the various role players. This is key to the success of overcoming the challenges of crime and criminality.
I have no doubt that after today's deliberations we will move forward from theory to action with your commitment and support.
Our efforts must contribute to the socio-economic development of our people so that we can truly say one day that we have complied with our peoples contract for a better life.
I am confident that out of this Indaba we shall emerge with a concrete programme for collaboration in our advance to create a caring society with respect for human life, rooted within the spirit of Ubuntu and sound moral values.
We are indeed convinced that today is better than yesterday, and that tomorrow shall be better than today.
"Mountains fall and seas divide before the one who takes in his stride,
A hard road day-by-day, sweeping obstacles away
Believe in yourself and in your plan
Say not, I cannot, but I can
The prizes of life we fail to win, because we doubt the power within."
Thank you.
Contact: Alex Mpho Gabashane
Tel: (013) 766 4055
Cell: 072 110 5376
Issued by: Department of Safety and Security, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
9 July 2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: P Pasha: MUNIMEC/Community Safety Forum Indaba
OPENING ADDRESS AT THE MUNIMEC/COMMUNITY SAFETY FORUM INDABA BY MPUMALANGA MEC FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, MEC PE PASHA, 9 July 2004
Honourable Councillors and municipal managers,
Secretary of the Civilian Secretariat from the National Department of Safety and Security,
Heads of departments,
Officials from the Civilian Secretariat of the Eastern Cape,
Management of the SAPS,
Senior managers from the Criminal Justice Cluster,
members of the Provincial and Area CPF Boards,
representatives from Business Against Crime and Officials from provincial government departments.
In the spirit of co-operate governance, I welcome you and feel humbled in addressing you formally as part of my primary responsibility in strengthening our integrated and collaborative effort in addressing crime generally in Mpumalanga.
Your presence here today is a true reflection of your resolve to ensure that we create a safe and secure environment conducive for economic development in our province.
It is quite evident that crime is not exclusively the responsibility of the Department of Safety and Security that is both the SAPS and the Civilian Secretariat.
As custodians of our people we represent their expectations and aspirations.
The many contributory causes of crime have been researched, documented and incorporated in various policies of government, especially in the White paper for Safety and Security of 1999 with regard to the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
The provincial government has to a large extent sensitised all the various role players and their responsibilities. However the impact of this multi-agency approach has not been effective enough at the local level, where our people can attest to, as it may not have made a major impact on their lives.
On 24 June 2004 President Mbeki held and extended Cabinet Committee meeting with Ministers, Premiers and Mayors in order to emphasise the need for improved interaction between the three tiers of government in terms of planning, allocation of resources and execution of government programmes and priorities.
One of the key role players in ensuring that there is a community safety plan within each local area is the local municipality. They should be entrusted to co-ordinate all the relevant stakeholders at local level, be it the local SAPS, CPFs, Correctional Services, the various components of the Justice departments, business and provincial government departments in developing a plan in preventing crime, based on the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
We all know that each one of these stakeholders have a pertinent role in preventing crime, in reducing the recurrence of crime by the same offenders, combating crime by visible policing, sector policing, by improving investigative procedures and by ensuring that the local community participates through awareness and understanding their roles and responsibilities.
The cornerstone of our democracy is this very participative and transparent process, so that as a united front, sharing a common vision we will overcome the challenges in overcoming crime and criminality.
Recently, in the media, Justice Fagan confirmed that there is a need for alternative sentencing in order to enhance our rehabilitative approach to sentenced offenders. I believe, with the introduction of community courts and restorative justice strategies, this will be made possible, so that we do not congest our prisons with offenders for petty crimes and for those that have the potential for appropriate rehabilitation.
For this to be a success, we need the understanding and support of all of you, who broadly represent the interest of our communities.
All the aspect of our local safety plans must be part of the Integrated Development Plans of municipalities, so that it can be costed, implemented, monitored and evaluated in line with the MTEF and the Performance Management Systems of the various role players. This is key to the success of overcoming the challenges of crime and criminality.
I have no doubt that after today's deliberations we will move forward from theory to action with your commitment and support.
Our efforts must contribute to the socio-economic development of our people so that we can truly say one day that we have complied with our peoples contract for a better life.
I am confident that out of this Indaba we shall emerge with a concrete programme for collaboration in our advance to create a caring society with respect for human life, rooted within the spirit of Ubuntu and sound moral values.
We are indeed convinced that today is better than yesterday, and that tomorrow shall be better than today.
"Mountains fall and seas divide before the one who takes in his stride,
A hard road day-by-day, sweeping obstacles away
Believe in yourself and in your plan
Say not, I cannot, but I can
The prizes of life we fail to win, because we doubt the power within."
Thank you.
Contact: Alex Mpho Gabashane
Tel: (013) 766 4055
Cell: 072 110 5376
Issued by: Department of Safety and Security, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
9 July 2004
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