Crime and Community Safety is a critical issue that affects us all, in Gauteng, the home of over 15 million people, whose safety and security is the responsibility of our government.
Despite some very innovative efforts made and the recent 6% decrease in crime statistics in the province, crime remains a major concern, especially within marginalized communities. Daily we see and read or are informed on social media platforms about hi-jackings, robberies, murder, gender-based violence, human trafficking, illegal mining activities, etc. that keep our communities trapped in fear, even in their homes. It is time for action.
To effectively deal with crime, we need to address the root causes of crime – such as poverty, accelerated by unemployment and inequality; as well recreational facilities due to lack of infrastructure maintenance. We need to invest in our youth, providing them with opportunities and alternatives to crime.
ActionSA believes that our criminal justice system requires a complete overhaul to ensure that criminals are not just arrested but are successfully prosecuted and serve the jail sentences. For this to happen the police should be equipped to take proper statements that record the specific elements necessary to prove the crime. Detectives need to be properly trained and resourced. Any good detective is only successful in solving their cases with the use of a pool of reliable informers.
Depoliticizing and equipping our crime intelligence is necessary to combat crime effectively, especially organized crime. Sadly, crime intelligence and the effective use of informers is lacking in SAPS.
The establishment of specialized units properly trained and resourced to combat the scourge of organized crime such as the construction mafias, the water tanker mafias, the building hi-jacking syndicates, human trafficking and drug cartels, is an urgent necessity. It seems that organized crime has the upper hand in our beloved Province.
Notwithstanding the many concerns raised about the selection processes of candidates and the procurement of the service provider to train the traffic wardens as well as other alleged irregularities in procurement processes, and the still outstanding issue regarding their certification as peace officers, these traffic wardens are making a difference where the SAPS management at the stations to which they are deployed to, strategically utilizes them.
ActionSA calls on the Department to ensure that the outstanding issues as mentioned above are dealt with and finalized as a matter of urgency and, as a constructive opposition, we will be there to lend a hand whenever we are called upon.
Let’s make Gauteng safe.
ActionSA Calls for the Overhaul of the Justice System and Establishment of Specialised Units to Effectively Deal With Crime
Crime and Community Safety is a critical issue that affects us all, in Gauteng, the home of over 15 million people, whose safety and security is the responsibility of our government.
Despite some very innovative efforts made and the recent 6% decrease in crime statistics in the province, crime remains a major concern, especially within marginalized communities. Daily we see and read or are informed on social media platforms about hi-jackings, robberies, murder, gender-based violence, human trafficking, illegal mining activities, etc. that keep our communities trapped in fear, even in their homes. It is time for action.
To effectively deal with crime, we need to address the root causes of crime – such as poverty, accelerated by unemployment and inequality; as well recreational facilities due to lack of infrastructure maintenance. We need to invest in our youth, providing them with opportunities and alternatives to crime.
ActionSA believes that our criminal justice system requires a complete overhaul to ensure that criminals are not just arrested but are successfully prosecuted and serve the jail sentences. For this to happen the police should be equipped to take proper statements that record the specific elements necessary to prove the crime. Detectives need to be properly trained and resourced. Any good detective is only successful in solving their cases with the use of a pool of reliable informers.
Depoliticizing and equipping our crime intelligence is necessary to combat crime effectively, especially organized crime. Sadly, crime intelligence and the effective use of informers is lacking in SAPS.
The establishment of specialized units properly trained and resourced to combat the scourge of organized crime such as the construction mafias, the water tanker mafias, the building hi-jacking syndicates, human trafficking and drug cartels, is an urgent necessity. It seems that organized crime has the upper hand in our beloved Province.
Notwithstanding the many concerns raised about the selection processes of candidates and the procurement of the service provider to train the traffic wardens as well as other alleged irregularities in procurement processes, and the still outstanding issue regarding their certification as peace officers, these traffic wardens are making a difference where the SAPS management at the stations to which they are deployed to, strategically utilizes them.
ActionSA calls on the Department to ensure that the outstanding issues as mentioned above are dealt with and finalized as a matter of urgency and, as a constructive opposition, we will be there to lend a hand whenever we are called upon.
Let’s make Gauteng safe.