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Challanges facing the Eastern Cape Government
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Safety Liaison and Transport

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EASTERN  CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY THE MEC FOR PROVINCIAL SAFETY, LIAISON AND TRANSPORT
 ON CHALLENGES FACING EC GOVERNMENT
 15 OCTOBER 1999



Honourable Chairperson,
 Honourable Ministers,
 Honourable Members of National Council of Provinces,

I am here to present the Safety and Security challenges facing the Provincial Government of the Eastern Cape and its approach to them.

Honourable chairperson, the key challenges of transformation and delivery of services that have been facing this government since the dawn 
of democracy in our country still remains a priority as we approach the next millennium. Amongst these key challenges confronting the 
democratic government in our country and province in particular is stability, safety and security.

The hard fought gains of the general masses of our country are being undermined by criminal elements. For economic growth and development 
to happen there has to be political and social stability that is prevalent throughout the country. It is crucial that we consolidate our 
democracy as we advance to the 21st century.

The advent of a democratic government necessitated a need for the transformation of the security forces so that they can fit in with the 
changing times. We could not, of course, rely on them to transform themselves, hence, we have had to assist them in the process. This we 
have been doing in the Department of Safety and Security, through the Secretariat, a structure established for monitoring and overseeing 
the Police Service. The Secretariat is expected to act as the change agent. It has to see to it that the police are transformed into a 
Service that is transparent, efficient, accountable and community orientated.

This mammoth task requires an adequately resourced Secretariat. In our province we have eight policing areas with 18000 police personnel at 
205 police stations. These policing regions and personnel have to be monitored by a Secretariat with a staff component of less than 30 
people.

PRIORITY CRIMES

Our Province has been plagued by community conflicts around Pondoland and taxi violence. The community conflicts are mainly evident in the 
Transkei area whilst taxi violence shifts around the Transkei and the Border areas. The cause behind the conflicts is underdevelopment. The 
burden, therefore, for the total eradication of these conflicts does not lie with Safety and Security alone. We need to target our 
communities to be supportive of our police personnel in combating crime. Communities must stop purchasing stolen goods. Criminals must be 
uprooted from our townships, suburbs and streets The interventions by both national and provincial departments coming with developmental 
projects around Tsolo and Qumbu has contributed to a relative peace and stability in that region.

Similar interventions for the Pondoland area that are being planned we believe will go a long way to alleviate the situation. The Province 
has decided to direct the assistance that was offered by national through a Presidential announcement, targeting three provinces, that is, 
the Eastern Cape,Kwazulu-Natal and the Northern Province, to East Pondoland in the case of our Province.

POLICE RESOURCES

Recognising that the province is having a serious shortage of resources such as vehicles and adequate office equipment for the police to do 
their work effectively,with the former homeland areas and the formerly disadvantaged areas within the Province being the most affected by 
this. A task team was set by the Province to address the imbalances. It has so far gone as far as looking at the vehicle distribution and 
has attempted to do some redistribution. The shortage of resources is actually a crisis in some areas in the Province. It reaches even the 
infrastructure.

The Province makes an emphasis on efficient and effective utilisation of resources. We do find cases of misuse of the limited resources. We 
are working closely with community structures like the CPF’s, and other stakeholders to assist us in the monitoring at station level.

We have received some help from the European Union, and DFID. Through their assistance we are having some of the police stations being 
rebuilt from scratch others are being renovated. They are helping develop a vehicle fleet management and also with human resource training. 
The Swedish government has also been providing us with training looking at courses on Human Rights. This assistance is greatly appreciated 
by the Province.

The needs are still great despite this help, there is generally an increase, particularly from police cells, of escapes from custody in the 
past year. The frequency of these escapes is a cause for concern. The problem can be attributed to poor infrastructure and resources and 
lack of commitment of the personnel responsible.

COURT CASES/DOCKETS

Other challenges facing the criminal justice system in the Province are the backlogs of cases, the disappearance of case dockets in the 
hands of police and justice officials. A lot of cases are unable to move forward and be speedily concluded because dockets are delaying or 
disappearing while others are deliberately being destroyed.


PROVINCIAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY

The Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy is co-ordinated and managed by an interdepartmental Committee (called the PCPS Co-ordinating 
Committee), consisting of all the provincial government departments as well as those national departments that have a crucial role to play 
in crime prevention (i.e. The Departments of Correctional Services and Justice, as well as the SANDF and the NIA). This committee was 
established in September 1997.

The following are examples of crime prevention projects that are affiliated to the PCPS in the province:

Victim empowerment :

* Ncedo Care Centre

* Mdantsane Family Care Centre

* Walmer Victim Support Centre

* Kwanobuhle Victim Support Centre

* Kamesh Victim Support Centre

Youth Projects:

* Stepping Stones

* Youth Leaders Against Crime

* Transformation of the Family and Child Care System

Integrated Justice Project:

* Awaiting Trial Project

Since its inception, the National Crime Prevention Strategy has been an unfunded mandate to provinces. To date no funding has been 
allocated to the PCPS in the province and no staff could subsequently be appointed to deal with the programmes. This has severely hampered 
its implementation and success.

CONCLUSION

Chairperson, honourable members, we do understand that we will not be able to tackle all these challenges overnight. Having said that, 
though, it is our desire and intention to move as quickly as possible in bringing delivery to our communities.
 Lastly Chairperson let me show appreciation of the assistance and support this House has been providing so that the people of our province 
and of South Africa as a whole are able to live in peace and prosperity.

I Thank You.

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