In its efforts of creating a police service that is professional, accountable, transparent and responsive; the Ministry of Police through the Civilian Secretariat of Police continues to engage many South Africans.  Today, the public consultation process around the Green Paper on Policing took place in Cape Town, Western Cape.

In broad terms, this policy framework sets out the broad policy thrust for the South African Police Service (SAPS) over the medium to long-term.  It aims to position the police service to adapt and respond to a constantly evolving crime landscape while remaining steadfast in its commitment to democratic policing.

As the Ministry of Police, we view these public consultations seriously because we recognise that this piece of legislation has far reaching safety implications.  It is for this reason, that we have impressed upon the Civilian Secretariat of Police the importance of a broader consultation process, not limited to urban cities but even reach communities at remote areas.  In fact, one of the issues raised by some of the workshop attendees was the lack of presence of the youth, as there were few young people at today’s session.

Workshop attendees raised and deliberated on various issues, ranging from police response times, partnerships with communities, resource allocation, ill-discipline by some members of law enforcement agencies, performance measures, accountability as well as institutional arrangements.  Importantly, as they raised these challenges, they also provided various proposed solutions which will be incorporated into the Green Paper on Policing.

One of the dominant issues at the workshop and in fact has dominated the public discourse, is around the Green Paper of Policing proposal around a single police service.  The Ministry of Police urges all South Africans that, as they make submissions and inputs into this policy framework, to thoroughly introspect the policy document in its totality.

The review around the Green Paper on Policing forms part of the broader transformation of the police.  The transformation of the SAPS remains central in our efforts to fight crime and criminality.  In transforming the police, we had to strengthen the civilian oversight, deepened its relationship with communities, build partnerships with civil society broadly, labour, business and contribute to the observance of the culture of human rights.  At all material times the democratic state will be guided by the hegemony of the aspirations of all law abiding South Africans.

As the Ministry of Police, we are not going to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach in dealing with crime, but the Green Paper of Police emphasizes the importance of an integrated and sustainable crime strategy.  It aims to create a horizon for the kind of police service that is desirable and represents the ethos of a democratic country.

Today’s session was attended by amongst others, the Western Cape MEC for Community Safety Dan Plato, representatives from Cape Town Metro, representatives from Community Policing Forums, academic institutions, researchers, religious groupings and various Non Governmental Organisations.

In ensuring that as many South Africans are reached through this consultative process, a stakeholder matrix is currently being implemented.  Deadline has been extended to 20 July 2013 to allow South Africans to make inputs. 

For enquiries, please contact:

Zweli Mnisi, Spokesperson to the Minister of Police 082 045 4024