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Speech at the Police Church parade and unveiling of Monument
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Safety Liaison and Transport

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE MEC DENNIS NEER
AT THE POLICE CHURCH PARADE AND UNVEILING OF MONUMENT
AT UMTATA POLICE COLLEGE
ON  25 FEBRUARY 2001



Provincial Commissioner
 Deputy Commissioners
 Senior Management
 Mayor of King Dalindyebo Municipal Council
 Representatives from our sister departments
 Area Commissioners
 Area Community Policing Board
 Chiefs
 Ministers of Religion
 Business representatives
 Media
 Distinguished Guests

Let me start by congratulating our newly appointed Umtata Area Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Johan Kapp who will be resuming his 
duties on the 05 March 2001. Sir, you are welcomed in this area and wish that you will enjoy your stay here with the challenges accorded to 
your job. I wish to call upon all police officers in this area to work closely with him in facing the challenges ahead of us.

Today, we are meeting here for an important occasion to commemorate and unveil the monument of our dear colleagues in the service. I know 
that services like these are also unintentionally serving as reminders and digging wounds to the families, friends of the deceased but let 
us be calm and take this service as a day of honour for the contributions they had made to secure our people and the country at large.

Let us also remember that God is with us and will respond to our prayers that those responsible for the tragedies be brought to book even 
if it can take us a long time. I have been told that some of the killings were still unresolved mysteries but let us not rest until we have 
found the truth. If we do that it would be the best way of honouring these families for their dear loved ones and that will show that we 
have not forgotten them.

The police should be commended in arresting in particular Superintendent Sgotyanas assassins as well as others who have killed or maimed 
other fellow members. This is a major breakthrough for the SAPS and they should strengthen their intelligence operations in making more 
arrests in these cases.

On the 9th and 16th February 2001 the President and the Premier respectively delivered their state of the nation and state of the Province 
addresses.

The President in highlighting the contributions of the people of South Africa having been faced by past and present challenges had this to 
say;

" Gradually, step by step, our country proceeds further away from its painful past. We, its citizens, who are very close to the coal face 
of change may not easily see the steady transformation that informs all aspects of our national life. The past of which I speak is well 
known to all of us".

" It is away from this painful past, that our country is progressing and must progress."

Our first responsibility in this regard has been the need for us to recognise the reality that as a people we do indeed share this common 
legacy.

Secondly, we had to make the determination that this was a legacy that we did not desire and were therefore committed to eradicate.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all our people, both black and white, who, in the past year and before made a 
contribution, however small, towards the new advances of our country further away from its painful past".

" ..... To build on these constructive efforts, we call on all our people across the colour line to dedicate this year to build unity in 
action for change".

It is in this context as outlined by the President that I as MEC for Safety, Liaison and Transport firstly pay tribute to the fallen 
members of the South African Police Services in pursuit of their responsibilities.

We call on all our people individually and collectively in defence of our democracy to assist the members of the SAPS in their efforts to 
eradicate crime from society and thereby creating a safe and secure environment.

Crime affects the quality of life of every South African. Reducing crime and building safer communities therefore must be a priority for 
all of us in this beautiful Province. To make this

happen crime prevention must be initiated at community level. Because crime occurs at the local level, it will be necessary for local 
government to initiate action and engage with other levels. Crime is a deterant to effective service delivery.

The requirements on the municipal councils to elaborate and adopt integrated development plans and to establish ward committees to 
facilitate regular communication between the councillors and the people are important instruments towards the realisation of the object 
that the people shall govern.

The Premier in his State of the Province address had this to say;

" We can never have proper services to our people in the presence of a high crime rate. Whilst we accept that poverty and unemployment have 
a great impact on the rise of crime levels, we cannot wait for a prosperous Eastern Cape before we deal with crime. As such we are pleased 
with the strides made by our police officers and their related departments in busting criminals of all shapes and sizes".

The Government and the Department is taking note of the contributions and the role played by religious communities in the fight against all 
sorts of evils like crime and fraud within our ranks. We have been preaching that gospel as a government that all forces of good will 
should join hands as a strong force because it is only through effective partnerships and combining our efforts that can make our community 
safer.

The business sector as one of the key stakeholders in fighting crime is also by the same token congratulated for its role and contribution 
in reducing criminal activities for sponsoring and donating to programmes aiming at rooting out all forms of crimes.

To the public at large, let us pose the question; is it correct for members of the community who expect to be protected by the police to 
allow criminal elements particularly those who attack and kill the police, to remain in their midst.

We call on all our people the community at large to assist the members of the SAPS in the fight against lawlessness and crime in general.

Im calling upon all CPFs to strengthen their strategies in assisting our officers who are in constant danger as a result of criminals. 
These criminals are living with us and should be exposed because they are a danger to the children and the society in general.

In conclusion, recognising the fact that we still have outstanding work in the pursuit of the objective of a better life for all, we need 
to build on what has already been achieved.

Let us all not rest until we have secured and found these senseless criminals. It should be clear to them that we are not threatened by any 
cause, theirs is to hand themselves over to the police in order to pay for their deeds.

Those who really want South Africa and the Eastern Cape to succeed must roll their sleeves up and contribute in fighting crime to save our 
beautiful Province.

Together we can do it.

I thank you

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