Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
14th June 1996
MEC STATEMENT ON THE POLICE PLAN
The MEC for Safety and Security in Gauteng welcomes the Police Plan unveiled by the National Commissioner George Fivaz as a historic milestone in the fight against crime in South Africa.
Coming immediately in the footsteps of the National Crime Prevention Strategy and complimentary to it in terms of delivering immediate blows to crime, there is no doubt in our Ministry that it will go a long way in drastically bringing down the level of crime in our country and our Province.
The plan comes at a time when the broader community, business, foreign investors and indeed the entire citizenry is calling for more action and less talk in dealing with the scourge of crime.
The action-oriented nature of the Sword and Shield approach addresses exactly that call for action. The plan calls on the entire Justice System to roll up its sleeves to work in concert and vigorously with the serious business of making Gauteng a Safe and Secure place to live and work in.
That there has been 10 000 most wanted suspects already identified, with 42 additional SAPS Task Forces set up to hunt and arrest them within the next 30 days, is indicative of the fact that, the moment of truth has come for the criminals.
That Gauteng Province is priority in this plan emphasises to this Ministry the need to leave no stone unturned to monitor and overseer that the plan works to hilt and we welcome that challenge.
The Ministry has always emphasised that the key to braking the stranglehold of crime lies in united actions through partnerships and community involvement with the police and the plan's emphasis on that approach further gives impetus.
Reclaiming the streets and the rural areas back from the criminals using both proactive and reactive visible policing programmes will succeed if the community is the cornerstone in involvement and the management, crime intelligence and investigation capacity at local level is enhanced.
Issued by : Gauteng Ministry of Public Safety and Security Enquiries : Mbulelo Musi Tel : (011) 339-5021 Cell : 082 571 3591