Community Safety: Best functioning Provincial Department in South Africa

Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

It is with great pride and appreciation that I acknowledge the sterling work done by the Western Cape Department of Community Safety and accept from the National Government, on behalf of the 392 staff members the award of Excellence for Best Functioning Provincial Department.

The Department won the Gold award for the Best Functioning Provincial Department at the ceremony hosted by the National Department of Public Service and Administration.

This award, coupled with our recent 6^th Clean Audit outcome, serves as official recognition that the Western Cape Government and the Department of Community Safety always puts the interests of the people of this province first in the services we render.

The Batho Pele Excellence Awards serve to recognise public servants who are selfless, dedicated, committed and who go the extra mile in servicing the citizens and aims to entrench the professionalization of, and encourage excellence within, the public service.

The people of the Western Cape have grown accustomed to an accountable and responsive government that serves the people. They can take comfort in the Department of Community Safety’s dedication to delivering on our oversight mandate, to ensure a better quality of policing service delivery in the province.

We will continue to partner with organisations to help increase safety in our communities, to support our men and women in blue in our communities as well as support and professionalise the community driven safety institutions such as the Community Policing Forums and Neighbourhood Watches.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and the people of the province have a willing partner in the Department of Community Safety to realise safer communities across the Western Cape.