Statement by Minister Dan Plato - Community Safety Budget 2018/19

Media Release by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

Community Safety Budget 2018/19 – building on partnerships to help improve safety

Date: 28 March 2018

Release: Immediate

[Note to editors: This extract is based on the speech delivered by Minister Dan Plato during the Department of Community Safety Budget Vote Debate in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament today. Link to full speech available at the bottom of the statement]

Budget highlights:

• The Department of Community Safety’s total budget for the 2018/19 financial year is R316.617 million, a nominal increase of R12.261 million from the previous year.

Included in this overall increase of 4% is the:

• Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) conditional grant allocation of R7.975 million;
• R1 million provided by Provincial Treasury for a crime reduction conference involving Provincial, National and International experts  later in the year; and
• R1.5 million for the further development of a provincial response to the National Anti-Gangsterism strategy.

Key priorities in the 2018/19 financial year include:

• The Community Safety Act is now fully implemented, with the announcement of the Western Cape Safety Advisory Committee, consisting of Judge Ntlupheko James Yekiso, Mr Crispin Sonn, Professor Clifford Shearing, Ms Clare Ballard and Head of Department, Gideon Morris.
• R3.2 million allocated to Community Policing Forums (CPFs) in 2018/19 is our biggest investment and support to CPFs to date via the Expanded Partnership Programme (EPP). The SAPS has now given their full support to the EPP III tool – developed to enhance CPF functionality and partnerships between community and police.
• To date, 200 Neighbourhood Watches (NHWs) across the province have been formally accredited. More than R2.5 million is budgeted in 2018/19 in support of NHWs throughout the province.
• The Department will be hosting a Crime Conference in the third quarter of 2018/19 to tackle some of the key safety concerns throughout the province, such as gang violence, farm violence, poaching and drug offences.
• The Department is Chairing the ProvJoints Anti-Gangsterism Committee aimed at coordinating and implement the Provincial Response to the National Anti-Gangsterism Strategy (NAGS) adopted by National Cabinet.
• The Alcohol Harms Reduction Game Changer implementation and activities are ongoing and we, together with our partners in the SAPS, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and other law enforcement agencies continue to improve the effectiveness to enforce laws related to illegal liquor trading.
• R5.670 million is budgeted in 2018/19 for the Youth Safety and Religion Partnership (YSRP) programme is currently in its 6th year of implementation and has reached more than 108 000 youths during school holidays since its inception.
• The Chrysalis Academy receives R13.327 million, which will see the training of 640 Chrysalis Academy youth graduates and work placements for all graduates at safety partners for a full 12 months after graduation
• The Department’s Youth Month activities will launch on 9 June 2018 at Athlone Stadium with youth in excess of 2500 expected to attend.
• The Department has been able to launch Walking Busses in 75 areas, with 222 schools participating and in excess of more than 2000 walking bus volunteers. An additional 25 Walking Busses are planned across the province. 
• Transfer payment to the City of Cape Town of R6.5 million will see the establishment of 10 “Safe Zones” in and around 14 priority schools in areas, including Manenberg, Lingelethu-West, Belhar, Delft, Ravensmead, Hanover Park and Bonteheuwel.

Other quotes from the speech:

• One of our biggest problems in most of our communities is the lack of police visibility, as well as a lack of police intelligence to deal with the gun shooters and killers in our communities.”
• These situations provide the breeding ground for lawlessness to take flight if we do not deal with the criminals decisively in a united front.
• The department has made an official proposal to SAPS to pay a stipend to those fully trained and equipped police reservist who are underutilised mostly sitting at home. We must succeed to mobilise these trained men and women to work for safety especially within priority projects such as the safety of train and bus commuters, safety at schools and for the prevention of gang activities.
• Interpersonal violence in the Western Cape remains one of the biggest threats to a safer province. This needs to be understood in its occurrence, its impact and in its origins.
• I fully support the work done by the dedicated and hard-working men and women in blue who relentlessly serve our communities under the expert and committed guidance of our Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Jula. I thank you and each and every police officer in the province for your service.
• The safe zones once fully established and integrated within the command and control structures of law enforcement, shall provide a critical and safe access point to essential government services such as Emergency Medical Services, Social Development and Education.
• This budget will allow us to continue forging the partnerships between police and communities where a breakdown in trust exists. It will provide us the opportunity to build on existing partnerships to improve safety in communities across the province.

The full speech is available at https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/2018-2019-department-community-safety-budget-speech