The Minister of Police, Honourable N Nhleko
The Deputy Minister of Police, Honourable M Sotyu
The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Honourable M Masutha,
The Minister of Home Affairs – Honourable M Gigaba,
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans  Honourable N Mapisa-Nqakula,
MECs of Police, Transport, Education, Sports and Culture,
All Deputy National Commissioners,
The Provincial Commissioner of the host Province, Lt Gen Ngobeni,
All other Provincial and Divisional Commissioners,
All members of the South African Police Service present,
The CEO of Proudly South Africa, Leslie Sedibe,
Leaders from different interfaith denominations,
Leaders from business and civic organizations,
Representatives from labour unions, POPCRU and SAPU,
Representatives from various community policing forums and faith-based organisations,
The community at large,
Distinguished guests,
Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen - sanibonani bantu baseMtshezi, umtshezi obomvu, umtshezi ongashi.  It is indeed an honour to stand before you this morning on this important occasion.  May I express my sincere appreciation to you for heeding our call and being here to share this day with us.

The end of the year is drawing near; many people will go on holiday and many activities will take place during the festive season.  The police are therefore required to be even more vigilant, ensuring that the people of South Africa are and feel safe. Ensuring your safety is our daily task, we do not only focus on it over the festive season. We discuss and devise ways of responding to crime in South Africa throughout the year.

We have realised the importance of involving you, the people we serve, to give you a say in how policing should be implemented in your community.  This is done through Community Policing Forums (CPFs), where members of the community work hand-in-hand with the police to deal with crime in their communities.

The government, through the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster, continues to demonstrate its commitment to rooting out crime - not only here in Estcourt, but in all provinces. The JCPS Ministers and Directors General undertook numerous visits to volatile areas countrywide prior to the general elections in 2014. They vowed to continue their visits and are doing so today and going forward.

We respond swiftly to such challenges, because we have the safety and security of all law-abiding citizens at heart.  Ladies and gentlemen - when crimes are reported via the media or from any other platform, people may think the police sit and do nothing. Trust me, nothing can be further from the truth. 
We are very concerned about criminality and we respond to any element of criminality in the best possible way.

It is proven that high crime incidents occur during October and January months every year hence we are launching our festive season operation now. The South African Police Service is particularly concerned about the high rate of armed robberies at malls and shopping centres in all the provinces, but especially in Gauteng and the Western Cape. According to an analysis carried out by our Analysis and Monitoring Section (ORS), armed robbers at shopping centres mostly target chain cell phone shops (MTN, Vodacom, Cell-C and Telkom Mobile) as well as clothing shops, second-hand dealers and hardware shops.

We are also concentrating our efforts around all aggravated robberies, the proliferation of firearms, second hand goods, tracing and arresting of wanted suspects as well as road safety and border security. There has been much planning around these categories and I am convinced that the execution thereof will be an overwhelmingly successful one throughout the country.

Most importantly, South Africa unfortunately experiences high levels of violence against its women and children, despite a world-renowned Constitution and well-drafted legislation that safeguards women’s and children’s rights.  These crimes tend to reach alarming proportions particularly around this time of year because of the abuse of alcohol and other dependence producing substances. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!
Over the past years, we have joined the world through the 16 Days of Activism in a united stand against violence and abuse.

The theme of the 16 Days of Activism campaign for no violence against women and children 2014, is:  “COUNT ME IN AS TOGETHER WE MOVE TOWARDS A SAFER SOUTH AFRICA”.

The 2014 campaign of 16 Days of Activism will be a year-long programme in which the extent to which laws and programmes aimed at eradicating violence against women and children have significantly improved their lives, are monitored and evaluated. The Department of Women and Children will, in partnership with key stakeholders in government that include the SAPS, the communities and the private sector, mobilise the involvement of men in the coordination of and participation in national and provincial activities aimed at raising awareness on the impact of violence against women and children.

The SAPS will continue to support our government, faith-based organisations, community-based organisations and all other role players who are eager to eradicate violence and crime in our society.

This analysis motivated the SAPS management to issue a new Instruction, which directly deals with shopping-centre and related crimes.  We have therefore increased our efforts to curb these crimes.  All Provincial Crime Combating Forums (PCCFs) are ready to participate fully in our efforts to respond to these robberies and related crimes in all the identified hotspots.

To all of those who are considering taking chances this festive season, be warned - we will apprehend you and you will serve your time in prison.

Thank you.