MINISTRY OF SAFETY AND SECURITY MEDIA RELEASE
Minister F S Mufamadi
Deputy Minister J Matthews
MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, MR SYDNEY MUFAMADI
Cape Town: 25 May 1994
Introduction:
South Africa now has a democratically-elected and representative Government and the time has come to formulate a policing vision in keeping with both the letter and spirit of our Constitution.
The Constitution is based on the principles of fundamental Human Rights and includes principles - such as transparency, efficiency and community policing - which will have a major impact on policing in our country.
This will necessitate not only a process of fundamental change on a wide front within our present policing establishments, but a re-evaluation of policing principles and practices by both the community and the SA Police Service.
This process is essential in order to provide a stable platform for the Government of national Unity's Reconstruction and Development Programme and to effectively police South Africa.
It must immediately be said that no-one - whether within the SAPS or the community - has anything to fear whatsoever from this process of change.
The role and structure of the SAPS are in any case laid down in the Constitution and therefore not subject to abuse by political parties.
I have at this stage every reason to believe that the SAPS has fully committed itself to become a dynamic component of the process of change and not its victim.
I am firmly committed to a consultative approach, both within the SAPS and with the broader community, and I wish to emphasise that the urgency with which reforms must take place will not be allowed to compromise policing efficiency.
I am confident that, through this process of dynamic and managed change, policing will ultimately be transformed into service-orien- tated, democratic policing from the community, by the community, for the community.
NATURE, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE SAPS:
It is necessary to first explain what the nature of the South African Police Service will be before dealing with the issues of policing priorities and restructuing.
It must be stated quite clearly that we are in the process of establishing one National Police Service, which will be structured at national and provincial levels.
Some policing functions, such as community policing, will be the responsibility of the MEC's responsible for Policing in the Pro- vinces and Police Commissioners. However, these powers remain shared powers and all policing functions remain under the supervision of the national police service and the national Minister and National Commissioner.
At the same time, our policy of community policing requires that there should be maximum accountability and decision-making at Provincial and local level.
Before outlining specific changes and restructuring, I would like to mention a number of strategic priorities as well as certain interim arrangements to manage and implement the process of change within the SAPS.
The following strategic priorities have been identified:
INTEGRATION OF FORMER SAP AND FORMER HOMELAND POLICE FORCES
The complex process of amalgamating South Africa's 11 policing agencies has already begun and all are now collectively known as the South African Police Service.
This integration process will be managed within a balanced, objective and transparent process - especially with regard to appointments - in order to minimise the potential problems which any amalgamation process must go through.
FORMULATION OF A NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY:
It is a top priority of Government to reduce levels of crime and violence and to improve community safety.
This will require a national crime prevention programme developed in partnership with civil society, the speedy and thorough investigation of crime and violence by police, and reforms in other sectors of the criminal justice system such as courts and prisons.
To achieve this, liaison with the Ministries of Justice, Correctional Services and Welfare and Population Development will be prioritised.
RESTRUCTURING OF SAPS ON NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS:
As I have already indicated, we are building a national Police Service structured on two levels - national and provincial.
Attached to this press statement are two organisational charts which sketch in broad terms how these two levels of policing will take shape. Please note that changes may still possibly be made to these structures but I make them public now in the interests of transparency and information flow to the public.
DEMILITARISATION AND PROFESSIONALISATION:
If the SAPS is to become more professional and acceptable to the community, it is essential that it move away from the present military rank system and associated culture. Police at ground level must be given more responsibility and thus become more professional.
A rank structure without military symbols and terminology, but with equivalent status levels, is envisaged. In this regard a process of consultation will also be initiated in order to arrive at the best possible alternative to a military system.
The system of promotion and appointments must also be changed to plac more emphasis on merit and ability.
Many functions currently performed by trained police officers must be civilianised.
I am convinced that these changes will benefit the Police Service and improve job satisfaction, motivation and productivity of especially members at ground level.
ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES:
Policing in South Africa at present suffers from an imbalance in the allocation of human and material resources. The allocation of resources will therefore have to be a key part of the process of restructuring of policing in order to maximise efficiency.
It is a fact that some parts of our country have historically been deprived of resources and have inadequate policing infrastructure.
One of the first steps which will have to be taken in this regard will be the decentralisation of the large pool of senior officers and experts at SAP Head Office in Pretoria so that their expertise can be brought to bear where it is needed most - at Provincial and community level.
COMMUNITY POLICING:
Community policing is enshrined in the Constitution and must be made to permeate every aspect and level of policing in South Africa.
This will necessitate a broad and intensive process of participation by as many organs of civil society and communities as possible. The community must become involved as closely as possible in determining local policing priorities.
The central pillar of this principle will be the formation of community/police consultation forums, which will enhance opportunities for marginalised communities to contribute to solving the problems of crime and violence.
REPRESENTIVITY AND ERADICATION OF SEXISM:
The SAPS and especially its leadership must become visibly more representative of the population - including gender distribution. This process should be seen as a means to enrich police work and bring diverse talents to bear on policing problems.
Sexism in all its various forms must be combated as widely as possible, in both its open and concealed manifestations. In this regard I refer specifically to any form of discrimination on the basis of gender. A process of consultation and the drawing up of an action plan in this regard will be initiated as soon as possible.
Although it will take time for a proper affirmative action policy to develop, representivity will be an important considera- tion in filling SAPS and Ministry of Safety and Security posts.
In short, it is vital for the legitimacy and credibility of the SAPS that more blacks be brought into the top structure of the SAPS. Officers of other races should not see this as a threat.
In this regard, it is important that a sound and balanced basis should be laid in terms of merit, objectivity, fairness and justice.
The process of greater representivity should in no way be seen as reverse discrimination which could in any way hamper the career prospects of any member of the SAPS or a lowering of policing standards.
SERVICE ORIENTATION:
Policing must become service orientated, as the name SA Police Service already suggests. A user-friendly Police Service is essential if we are to succeed in winning the confidence of the population as a whole and in bringing crime and violence under control.
SALARIES AND BENEFITS:
Disparities have developed in the salaries and benefits of the various policing agencies currently comprising the SAPS. This is being addressed as a matter of urgency.
This must be adjusted and standardised in an integrated and balanced process which will not leave any police officers worse off than they were before.
We need pay equality without disruption of policing services and I will shortly be inviting the Police Unions to have discussions with me on this and other issues.
APPOINTMENT PROCESS:
To provide the legal basis for the SAPS, it will be necessary that Parliament pass a new South African Police Services Act. Once such an Act has been passed, the President will appoint a National Commissioner of the SA Police Service.
The National Commissioner will then appoint Commissioners for each province. These appointments must then either be approved or vetoed by the MEC's responsible for policing in the Provinces.
Again, I wish to give the assurance that this appointment process will be conducted in an objective and legitimate fashion in order to evaluate all candidates.
All applicants for these posts will therefore be tested and screened by independent experts before recommendations are made to the national Commissioner by a special committee which I will establish.
It must also be said that appointments will also be influenced by the requirement that the leadership of the SAPS be as representative of the population as possible.
Due to various factors, this process may very well only be completed in a few months time. Until such time the present situation, which each service within the SAPS having its own Commissioner, will continue.
MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE:
Due to the complexity and comprehensive nature of proposed changes, it is necessary that the process be efficiently managed by way of certain measures.
Therefore, I would like to announce the formation of three bodies which will assist in this process.
They are:
One of the tasks of this advisory team is to draw up organigrams reflecting new policing structures as visualised in the Constitution as well as the necessary interim structures which will drive the process of amalgamation and restructuring.
CONCLUSION:
As can be seen from the outline I have given above, the challenges facing policing in our country are great.
However, I am convinced that this process will be to the advantage of not only the community, but of the SAPS.
As I have said before, our aim is the creation of policing from the community, by the community, for the community.
The Government will do everything possible to serve our people in this regard, but in the final analysis it will be a partnership of police and the broad community which will be decisive in making South Africa a safer and more secure country.
(Charts refered to in release can be obtained from Craig Kotze at Tel (021) 457400/1)