Honourable Chairperson and Honourable Members,
The budget vote debate is presented when we are in the middle of the vaccination process in the fight against the corona virus. President has just adjusted the lockdown regulations to level two in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. We remain committed in the fight against corona virus and we encourage every South African to adhere to the lockdown regulations. We must be united in the fight against Covid-19 and one lesson we got from this global pandemic even at international level is that states need each other and there is a need for global solidarity and international corporations to defeat this pandemic and as South Africans we should learn from this approach.
The African National Congress is committed in the fight against corruption and holding accountable everyone in the public office and this cleaning process does not only focus on the general people but everyone even in the police system there is a clear ant-corruption campaign. The African National Congress (ANC) in the 2017 at its 54th National Conference outlined that there is a need to strengthen and coordinate the ant-corruption agencies to intensify the war against corruption. The investigations must be intelligence driven and the accused people must be prosecuted and thus lead to conviction. Furthermore, the government will conduct vetting for all its employees at all levels in the fight against corruption.
The Civilian Secretariat Police Service (CSPS) mandate is to primarily conduct oversight of the police service and then act as a technical policy adviser to the Minister. Further, provide administrative support and guide advise minister on his international obligations. The Civilian Secretariat Police Service also monitor the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act of 1998 by the SAPS. This is done to ensure effectiveness, and to address the lack of trust in the police by public and improving police service delivery. In a nutshell this entity exists to provide support to ensure that SAPS is efficient and effective in its operations. CSPS also exist at provincial levels and operate within the provincial sphere of government.
There is a need to bring back the hope and the trust of the people in the police service and that can be done through various ways. A localised way of addressing crime need to be developed that will be inclusive of all people in our society. Hence the need to facilitate the implementation program of the partnership strategy and framework which seek to mobilise key role-players and harness the social capital in communities by facilitating greater involvement of various community safety structures, as the ANC in its resolutions highlight the importance of having all community forums working together with the police in the fight against crime.
The budget vote of 2021 will support the CSPS to carry out its mandate to provide oversight and provide guidance in different police station right across South Africa. In South African law no one is above the law and thus this budget will provide means for the CSPS to monitor the members of the South African Police Services and indeed investigate any complaints lodged against them. Regulating and monitoring compliance by the police service with relevant legal prescripts which means police must always conduct themselves within the confinement of the law.
All these efforts can only be attained if there are strong working relations between the community members and SAPS and those relations should be intensified by the CSPS.
This will combat any corruption and fraudulently tendencies that might have been committed by the police members. It will further enhance the police to implement different crime prevention measures that are a product of a research conducted by the CSPS. Therefore, budget vote will enhance the work of this unit and the African National Congress support the budget vote 21.
The African National Congress further welcome the budget 24 as it will provide support to the work of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
The IPID has a very important role to play in the fight against crime and corruption. IPID derive its authority from the Independent Police Investigation Directorate Act which empower IPID with powers to investigate any complaints, alleged misconduct or even offences committed by the members of the South African Police Service. This is in particular the serous crimes and the priority crimes.
Budget vote will enhance IPID’s ability to conduct investigations thoroughly, improve the quality of the investigations. Further, intensify the fight against gender based-violence within the police service, look more on the cases like, rape, death, torture and most important corruption that must be rooted out. The Budget vote must further the finalization of the IPID Amendment Bill to enhance the work of the IPID.
There must be a strong compliance of SAPS to the IPID recommendations and it further make recommendations to the minister.
The IPID has been facing serious financial challenges and it must continue do it work and develop creative means of generating funds for its investigations to be effective and efficient. There must proper coordination between IPID and provinces.
There must be collective effort from different departments to reach their targets and all have a role to play in creating safe and secure South Africa.
It is evident for all to see that the African National Congress is committed to the fight against corruption. The ANC government does not talk about fighting corruption, but it does act against corruption. There are different steps in place to combat corruption and there is work done in this regard.
The private security industry Regulatory Authority is mandated to regulate the private security industry, and exercise control over the practice of the occupation of security providers in the public and national interest, as well as in the interest of the private security industry itself. PSIRA has responsibility to create a conducive environment to have a competent and stable security industry which protect the interests of different stakeholders from public, private security and the state, all these stakeholders require their interests to be protected.
In conclusion, we welcome the budget vote 28, 21 and 24 and recommend that the National Council of Provinces approve these budget votes to ensure the safety of our society, in an environment of coordination of different departments that are working together to fight against crime, and corruption in South Africa. The African National Congress remain at the centre of holding people accountable and ensuring efficient and effective ways of managing and utilising state resources, and that where there are acts of deviation with the laws and regulations, consequences must follow. Police, community and business sector together has a role to play in the fight against crime and corruption in South Africa.
