Issued by: Ministry for Safety and Security
MEDIA RELEASE BY THE MINISTER FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY,
MR SYDNEY MUFAMADI, PRETORIA, OCTOBER 04, 1996
CAPE TOWN, 1994-10-26
In May of this year, the Cabinet endorsed the National Crime Prevention Strategy as the government's major weapon in the campaign to address the causes of crime and reduce the levels of crime in South Africa. The Department of Safety and Security was given responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the crime prevention strategy - with the clear understanding that many govern- ment departments would have to contribute to make the strategy work.
Since May, the government departments have been laying the foundation for the successful implementation of the NCPS.
A committee of Directors General from the relevant department has met regularly, and a Co-ordinating Mechanism of officials from these departments - Justice, Correctional Services, Safety and Security, Defence, Welfare, Home Affairs, Intelligence and Education - has been established to oversee implementation of the programmes.
I am pleased to announce today that the crime prevention initiative is being given additional valuable resources to get this vital job done.
Doctor Bernard Fanaroff, who spent two years co-ordinating the Reconstruction and Development Programme, is being seconded to the NCPS team based in the Secretariat for Safety and Security. Dr Fanaroff, deputy director general in the President's office, will manage the co-ordination of the NCPS.
The lessons of interdepartmental co-operation learned in the management of the RDP will be critical in getting government departments to deliver on their NCPS commitments in the months and years ahead.
To ensure clear accountability for the co-ordination of the NCPS initiative, the Cabinet has designated Safety and Security as the lead department, and I have assigned Safety and Security Secretary Azhar Cachalia to direct this task.
Secretary Cachalia is establishing a Crime Prevention Co-ordina- tion unit within the Secretariat that will manage the NCPS. Dr Fanaroff will be in overall day-to-day charge of the co-ordina- tion effort, assisted by a team including Chief Director Janine Rauch. In addition, each of the departments involved in the NCPS have dedicated specialists who are responsible for ensuring the implementation of their own projects in the NCPS.
The NCPS is the government's medium- to long-term strategy for preventing crime.
The NCPS complements the Police Plan, which is the one-year operational programme of the South African Police Service designed to improve policing throughout the country.
We therefore have an appropriate short- and long-term framework for fighting crime. What we need now is urgent and decisive implementation of these plans by the departments involved.
The initial programmes are being funded by an allocation of R200 million from the RDP fund. Some of the initiatives being addressed in the first phase of the Crime Prevention Strategy such as:
- Management of crime scenes and handling of evidence - Secure care facilities for young offenders - Integrated information management in the criminal justice system - Victim support programmes to assist victims of crime - Improved witness protection programmes - Improving court administration
I am pleased that all the ministers and directors general involved in the NCPS have committed themselves to maximum co-operation and energy in implementing the strategy.
Our success in preventing crimes from taking place is as impor- tant as our ability to detect and solve crimes and punish criminals after the crimes have occurred. The National Crime Prevention Strategy will put in place a comprehensive and integrated set of programmes and projects designed to give crime prevention a practical and real meaning for all South Africans.
Enquiries : Maxwell Mulaudzi - 082 373 2005