Issued by: Ministry For Safety and Security
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE BY THE MINISTER FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, MR F S MUFAMADI
We have reached the end of another year -- a year full of challenges, both political and organisational.
Crime has been a cause for grave concern for the last few years, and 1997 was no exception to this. Although statistics for the past year proved that there has been a decline in the reported cases of serious crimes, many of our people are not experiencing that decline. They remain victims of crime.
I would like to assure our people that we are doing everything necessary and possible to address the problem. Some of our efforts have been crowned with success.
We have improved our organisational capacity to deal with crime by lifting the moratorium on recruitment of police officers. This has resulted in a flood of applications. These new recruits will start their training during the first quarter of 1998.
We have also opened a detective academy - the first of its kind in Africa. We are confident that this will sharpen the cutting edge of our campaign against crime.
Another major achievement is the gradual but systematic coming into fruition of some of the objectives of our NCPS. Earlier this year a plan was approved by the Cabinet to increase border control by reducing the amount of border posts open for commercial traffic and the tightening of controls over the remaining border posts. Some of the border posts have now been closed to commercial traffic and we are in the process of improving and upgrading the remaining posts.
In April this year (1997) the SAPS, the South African Revenue Services and Home Affairs Department launched a nationwide customs and immigration blitz at major airports, harbours and border posts to clamp down on syndicates who are exploiting weak controls for their criminal purposes. As at the middle of October this year, the campaign had yielded more than R45 million in revenue which would otherwise have been lost.
There have also been encouraging signs to the effect that through enhanced border control we are tilting the balance more and more in favour of a safer and severe environment. These signs manifested in the fact that more than 500 people were arrested both at the Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport in the last three months while they were trying to smuggle hard drugs from places like Rio and Sao Paulo.
But we have also had to deal with resistance both from inside and outside the Department. Changing peoples' perceptions is never easy, but it is necessary if we are to combat crime at all levels. We cannot afford to hold on to old ways - they simply do not work anymore. We have to find new approaches and new ways of doing things. If we fail, our new-found democracy will not survive.
To those members of the Department who have shown their loyalty and dedication in various ways, and who went well beyond their call of duty, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude I am well aware of the many sacrifices, sometimes working in the most adverse conditions imaginable. Take care of yourselves and your families. I trust that you will be back and ready for challenges that lie ahead. With dedicated members like yourselves, the future of our country looks bright indeed.
Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year!
ENQUIRIES: DIRECTOR JOSEPH NGOBENI CELL: 082 800 3672