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Date : 21/08/2003
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Shilowa: Opening of police station in Boipatong


ADDRESS BY GAUTENG PREMIER MBHAZIMA SHILOWA AT THE OPENING OF THE BOIPATONG POLICE STATION, 21 August 2003

Master of Ceremonies
MEC Nomvula Mokonyane
Provincial Commissioner Perumal Naidoo
Assistant Commissioner Mpempe
The Mayor of Emfuleni
Distinguished Guests
The People of Boipatong

I am honoured and privileged to officiate at a ceremony of this nature, where the fruits of our hard fought efforts to deal with crime are slowly, but surely starting to pay off.

Today is an important and significant day in the fight against crime in Boipatong and Gauteng as a whole. The urgency of putting proper infrastructure for the police to deal with crime effectively and efficiently cannot be over-emphasised.

When we visited here last year the people of Boipatong requested, among other things, that government should urgently look into the issue of policing in the area.

We agreed with the suggestion that there should be a police station to service the people of Boipatong and the surrounding areas. We raised the matter with the South African Police Service and the Minister of Safety and Security who agreed that the building of a police station in Boipatong would be given priority.

Today we are back here to open the police station that the people of Boipatong requested from government.

This is yet another demonstration that our government listens to the people and responds to their needs and aspiration. We go to the people at all times to report to them on what we are doing to improve their lives and listen to their views and suggestions on our work. We do so because we believe that the people have an important role to play in determining our policies and in assessing their impact.

The opening of this police station is an important step in our efforts to fight against crime, especially violent crime against women and children. But the police station alone, while it is a critical instrument, cannot end crime. The proper management of men and women who will occupy this building is also very important to ensure success.

There is therefore a dire need for the police, members of the community and all other relevant structures in the area to work more closely together and co-ordinate more effectively all efforts to prevent crime.

Now that we have opened the police station, it is important that we build and maintain a strong Community Policing Forum in Boipatong. The forum will be an important link between the community and the police. Through the forum the community will be able to monitor the work of the police and share views on crime solving and prevention measures.

There are many people out there who are ready to work with the police. Some of them are even courageous enough to serve as reservists.

Like the Holy Scriptures say: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven". Shine before these people out there. That is the condition for your success. I am saying this because I know, as much as you do, that the fight against crime can never at any point in time be the exclusive preserve of the police.

We have seen how co-operation between the police and communities have contributed towards solving many criminal cases throughout Gauteng. In many places communities have, through their own intelligence and in collaboration with the police apprehended criminals, many of who were convicted and were sent to jail.

Many of the criminals who terrorise our people live among the communities and are known to the people. Sometimes parents keep quiet about criminal activities of their children. Some even go to the extent of protecting them and helping them to evade arrest.

The criminals can only be subdued and brought to their knees when we maximise the mobilisation of all our people behind us. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for criminals, the overwhelming majority of South Africans are coming forward to provide information about the activities of the criminals in their midst to the Police.

It is because of this readiness on the part of the general public to co-operate with the Police that investigation and detection work in this Province in particular, is fast becoming a success story. Looking at the broader crime situation we can hail Operation Crackdown in particular as a huge success and we can state that, in general, the SAPS are on top of the situation.

In this area, the police are dealing with crimes such as common assault, assault GBH, robbery with aggravating circumstances, burglary residential areas and theft of motor vehicles. These crimes are most taking place in places such as Sondela Section, Loss My Cherry and Novil Road.

This opening happens when we as society are engaged in various activities to highlight achievements made by our women both in business and involvement in community development work. However, while we talk about these achievements, we remain concerned about crimes committed against women and children.

The recent cases of women and child abuse that we have witnessed in our province have necessitated South Africans to speak in one voice and co-ordinate all activities and efforts aimed at combating all forms of abuse against women and children.

Some parents are aware of sexual abuse of their children by adult relatives but keep such incidents under wraps for fear of any embarrassment they might cause to the family. In so doing, they save the adult from facing the might of the law while perpetuating the indignity and trauma of the sexually abused child. If we love our children we cannot allow that.

We need to break this culture of silence so that police can be able to make sure that the culprits are apprehended and uprooted from society. Government has committed itself to overcomie violence against women and children by passing and enforcing laws that ensure women and children's legal rights and punish abusers.

As we open this police station during the Women's Month, our message throughout is that abuse of women and children is a criminal offence, which is punishable by law. We must emphasize that crimes against women and children cannot be dealt with through policing, but society must play its meaningful role by putting in place preventative measures.

Earlier this year there were a few incidents where community members took the law into their hands. Some of these incidents resulted in fatal or serious injuries to those who were suspected of having committed crime.

While we encourage communities to get involved in fighting crime, we need to stress that whenever we are involved in apprehending criminals we should act within the law. Let us not take the law into our own hands. The police are there to serve us and we must work with them.

We know that there are instances where some among members of the SAPS were found to have neglected their work including not acting on the crime intelligence information they receive from the communities. These are only a very small minority of the SAPS.

There are many good men and women in the SAPS who work tirelessly and selflessly to make our communities safer and more secure. The SAPS must not be defined in terms of the bad behaviour of a tiny minority within its ranks.

The Gauteng Provincial Government will continue to do everything within its powers and ability to assist the SAPS in their work of preventing crime and apprehending criminals. Last week the Executive Council (provincial cabinet) took a decision to purchase 25 vehicles to replace the aging fleet of the highway patrol. The new vehicles will soon be handed over to the SAPS and we hope the Provincial Commissioner will ensure their proper deployment and upkeep.

As we open this police station we remember the tragedy that befell Boipatong in June 1992. The wounds and scars from that terrible incident are still visible. This police station and many other things that we will be doing must symbolise reconciliation, reparation, healing and cleansing.

In conclusion, I wish to say to the people of Boipatong: This is your police station; make good use of it; take good care of it; and work with the police who will be deployed here to make Boipatong a safer and more secure place.

For more information contact Thabo Masebe on 082 410 8087
Issued by: Office Of The Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government, 21 August 2003
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)

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