The Department of Community Safety’s R776.1m budget presented by Minister Marais

Yesterday, 28 March 2022, Minister Anroux Marais presented the Department of Community Safety’s Budget Appropriation for the 2022/23 financial year at the Western Cape Provincial Parliament.  

To create safer communities and to further promote professional policing through effective oversight as legislated and to capacitate safety partnerships with communities and other stakeholders, the total budget allocated to the Department has increased from just over R559.3 million from the adjusted appropriation in 2021/22 to approximately R776.1 million in the 2022/23 financial year.

Minister Marais said, “The budget to bring into fruition the Western Cape Safety Plan for YOU, with the increase of 38.77% is indeed welcomed as it mainly relates to the allocation of R400 million to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), of which the previous allocation in the adjustment budget for 2021/22 was R165.2 million. Regardless of political affiliation, we can all agree that the LEAP programme has made significant strides in the Western Cape Safety Plan in its efforts to halve the murder rate by 2029, informed by evidence and implemented using data and technology to create safer communities in the Western Cape”.

Minister Marais further elaborated on the following allocations:

• The expansion of the Chrysalis Academy will receive R 25.2 million over the MTEF period 2022-2024
• To further roll out the safety plan at the district level, R6. million will be provided in the 2022/23 financial year.
• The EPWP will receive R26.1 m of which R3.8 million is a conditional grant
• Neighbourhood Watch resourcing will receive R5.7 million, while the Department is currently looking to increase this support as the budget and capacity allows.
• To boost the Department’s support to municipalities for K9 units, R8.8 million has been allocated. The efforts successfully executed by the K9 units across the province was commended. This weekend past, on 25 March 2022, the joint operations between the Malmesbury SAPS and the Swartland K9 Unit led to the arrest of 4 adult females and 1 adult male for dealing in tik and for the possession of ammunition. The following day, on 26 March 2022, the joint operation between Malmesbury CPU (Crime Protection Unit) and the Swartland K9 Unit led to the arrest of 9 adult males for the possession of an illegal firearm, which was later identified, by its serial number, as the same firearm earlier booked in and stolen from the SAP13 at the police station.  We thank the K9 units in partnership with the respective municipalities for the life-saving measures they actively have in place, risking their own lives to create safer communities for all those who call it home. We look forward to expanding these much-needed K9 Units to other municipalities in the near future, of which Mossel Bay is next in line.
• A total of R6.9 million has been allocated for the resourcing of Reaction Units at Swartland Municipality and Overstrand District Municipality.
• The Department will continue to drive the reduction of alcohol harms through amendments to the Western Cape Liquor Act and will submit a publication of amendments to the Western Cape Liquor Regulations in respect of fees and fines to be paid in terms of the Act. As the Department is mandated to lead and direct a task team to review and amend the Western Cape Liquor Act to take forward public health-based alcohol-harms reduction strategies and interventions, the Western Cape Liquor Authority will receive its annual allocation of R45.6 million.
• As we take our Provincial Safety Plan to the next level, a new Violence Prevention Unit will be established in the Western Cape’s Department of Health. This unit will use public health data to identify localized strategies to prevent violence before it occurs.

Minister Marais used the opportunity to note the concern within the Community Policing Forum structures in the Western Cape regarding what the impact of the establishment of the Provincial Secretariat in terms of Section 16 of the Civilian Secretariat For Police Act 2 of 2011 will be on the continued existence and operation of Community Policing Forums. Minister Marais said, “I want to reaffirm that the Western Cape Government, through its Department of Community Safety, is committed to fulfil its mandate conferred by section 206 of the Constitution, sections 66 and 68 of the Constitution of the Western Cape as well as section 5 of the Western Cape Community Safety Act. This mandate, amongst other things, includes monitoring police conduct and overseeing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Police Service in the Province by assisting Community Policing Forums through the provision of funding, training and resources in order to promote good relations between the South African Police Service and communities which will in turn make the Western Cape a safer place for all. It is for this reason that we are awaiting legal advice on the best way forward”.

We wholeheartedly thank the officials of the Department of Community Safety, our partners in the various municipalities and sister Western Cape Government Departments, the South African Police Service and local law enforcement for their collaboration in creating safer and more cohesive communities in the Western Cape. I also thank the SAPS’ provincial leadership, led by General Patekile for the good spirit of cooperation they continue to adopt as critical partners in our fight against crime.

Click here to download the full speech.