Minister Fritz launches Central Karoo safety forum

Today, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, launched the Central Karoo District Municipality’s Safety Forum in Prince Albert. This follows the Determination of Policing Needs and Priorities (PNP) and safety plan review. 

Safety Forums enable crime prevention and community safety by going beyond the role of Community Policing Forums, which is to focus on community policing relations, and instead bring together all safety stakeholders to address social ills.

The launch included:

• A presentation of the PNP and the Safety Plan Review of 20 August 2019;
• The development of project plans;
• An outline of the safety forum and the terms of reference; and
• The appointment by Municipalities’ and Departments’ of project champions.

Minister Fritz said, “I would like to commend all the safety stakeholders who played a role in the establishment of the Central Karoo District Municipality’s Safety Forum. These stakeholders include the Departments of Correctional Services, Justice and Constitutional Development, Home Affairs, Health and Education, SALGA, SAPS, and Municipalities, to name a few.”

The launch follows District Municipalities’ PNP workshop which took place earlier this year, informing the budget allocated to provincial government in terms of community safety’s reported needs.

“This Forum will go a long way in preventing and coordinating responses to crime within the municipality’s communities. Ultimately, the Safety Forum aims to bring together a wide range of safety stakeholders to improve access to justice, road transport safety and public transport, social crime prevention, crime prevention through environmental design, promote restorative justice, reduce recidivism, address gender-based violence and violence against children, and address alcohol and substance abuse, to name a few,” said Minister Fritz.

Under the leadership of Minister Fritz, the Department of Community Safety will continue to use each tool at its disposal, as defined by Section 206 of the Constitution, to safeguard the Western Cape.

Attention broadcasters, please find English audio clip attached.