Statement by Minister Dan Plato - Annual Report: 8th clean audit

Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

Annual Report: 8^th clean audit allows for continued safety investment into communities

Date: 3 November 2017

Release: Immediate

I congratulate every official within the Department of Community Safety for their contribution to achieving our 8^th successive clean audit. Effective, clean and good governance principles are firmly embedded in our department.

The 2016/17 Annual Report of the Western Cape Department of Community Safety, discussed today in the Provincial Legislature, covers our role in holding the police accountable to the people of the province, and our partnerships approach to increasing safety in our communities.

With sound financial principles adhered to, we have been able to maximise our investment into improving the safety of our communities, most notably the safety of our youth.

The Department’s sub-programme Safety Partnerships has formed 75 formal partnerships with Municipalities, SAPS, CPFs, Special Rating Agencies, and other departments to increase safety and unlock opportunities for youth in the province.

This includes the training and 12 month work placement of 1515 youth through our formal partnerships such as the Chrysalis Academy in Tokai.

Our Youth Safety and Religion Partnership programme is in its 6^th roll-out year and sees the Department partnering with the religious fraternity over school holiday periods to provide educational and developmental programmes in communities.

For the year under review the Department provided funding opportunities to 189 religious organisations, operating in 58 areas. More than 22 000 young people participated in school holiday activities under this programme. This provided them with safer alternatives to negative social behaviours and the lure of underage drinking, gangsterism and drugs.

During the year under review we launched the Walking Bus project with the intent to provide safety related support to communities and learners.

Since the initial launch in Wesbank last year, we have been able to take the initiative to at least 23 communities, including, Mitchells Plain, Bishop Lavis, Delft, Belhar, Kraaifontein, Strand, Elsies River, Bonteheuwel, Hanover Park, Lavender Hill, Ocean View, Manenberg, Khayelitsha, Paarl East, George and Mosselbay.

I am pleased that this project is still growing in the current financial year – with more than 50 Walking Busses at more than 180 participating schools in several of our vulnerable communities.

Our support to our safety partners such as the Neighbourhood Watches (NHWs) and Community Policing Forums continued with 162 Memorandums of Agreement signed between CPFs and Cluster Boards under our Expanded Partnership Programme. A total of 22 CPFs received training and support interventions during this period under review.

The Department was also able to accredit 39 Neighbourhood Watch Structures and train 358 NHW members. This was made possible through the Community Safety Act regulations promulgated towards the end of last year.

Many safety challenges still exist in our province, and require an effective operational policing response, which is a responsibility that does not lie within the provincial government’s authority. The constitutional mandate for policing, and operational control of SAPS, lies with national government.

The Department of Community Safety, has through hard work, resilience and dedication delivered on its oversight mandate.

I commend the Head of Department, Gideon Morris, his Chief Directors and the entire staff complement of the Department of Community Safety for their sterling work in the previous financial year.

Through a whole-of-society approach we continue to strive to create the meaningful partnerships that we need to stop the scourge of drugs and alcohol affecting our communities, to stop the violence and killings at the hands of gangs in the province, and to realise safer environments for all.