Agriculture

Question by: 
Hon Andricus van der Westhuizen
Answered by: 
Hon Ivan Meyer
Question Number: 
7
Question Body: 

With reference to the newly formed Rural Safety Committee and the designation of a rural safety plan to each district:

  1. (a) How has each safety plan been formulated or has a universal safety plan been applied, (b) what role will the South African Police Service (SAPS) play, (c) what is the aim of each safety plan, (d) how will this assist the SAPS, (e) what oversight mechanisms will be in place for the implementation of each safety plan, (f) how will this support and interact with any existing community policing forums, if at all, and (g) who is responsible for ensuring the day-to-day coordination of each safety plan in each district;

 

  1. whether municipalities will be provided with the funds by the Provincial Treasury; if so, (a) how will the funds be released to each district, (b) what is the process for allocating the funds and (c) what determines the allocation per region or district?
Answer Body: 
  1. (a)  District municipalities have formulated their Safety Plans with the guidance from the Department of Community Safety (DoCS). Each District Safety Plan is unique to the district taking into account the specific safety challenges that the communities in each of the district municipal area identified and experience.  Background information, an analysis of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), SAPS crime statistics and trends, a mini safety audit and other existing safety plans in the district were all taken into consideration in the drafting of these safety plans. Workshops were convened in each District Municipality and DoCS presented information regarding the formulation of the Safety Plan. No universal plan was developed for the districts.
  2. SAPS is a key stakeholder in the development of the District Safety Plans, while they have developed  the Provincial Rural Safety Plan. Furthermore, SAPS provided statistics to guide the development of relevant and responsive Safety Plans. In addition, SAPS will assist with the accreditation of Community Policing Forums, which form part of key stakeholders in the implementation of the Safety Plans.
  3. The Safety Plan aims to address the underlying causes of crime, adopting a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary approach, and ensuring an integrated response to crime prevention and law enforcement. Furthermore, the Safety Plans are aimed at mobilising the entire community and government (at all spheres) to work together in building safer communities.

 

  1. The District Safety Plans intend to reduce/alleviate crime in communities and to assist with fighting crime. The participation and involvement of SAPS enables them to identify interventions for collaboration and provide guidance regarding safety and crime issues where and when required.
  2. The Department of Community Safety will play an oversight role in terms of the Implementation of Safety Plans in the Districts. However, a holistic approach is crucial when it comes to monitoring and evaluation of the implementation and this requires participation of all the stakeholders. Every stakeholder must take responsibility for the activities outlined in the Safety Plan.
  3. As key stakeholders in the development and implementation of the safety plans, Ward Safety Committees and municipal safety forums are envisaged to have representatives on the CPF (Community Policing Forum) structures, thereby ensuring and enhancing collaboration.
  4. A District Community Safety Officer has been appointed for each district to directly liaise with the local officials in the municipalities. A local Safety Forum for each municipality will be established.
  5. (a)  The Department of Community Safety will fund the development and implementation of District and Local Safety Plans.
  6. A Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) was signed by District Municipalities and the Department of Community Safety, and R5million was transferred to the District Municipalities in 2018.  Since then a further annual allocation of R5,7m, R9,5m and R10,023m has been committed for these District Plans across all 5 Districts. The TPA requires District Municipalities to submit Safety Plans and Business Plans in support of their safety initiatives. The Department of Community Safety can provide more details.
  7. See above response.
Date: 
Friday, September 25, 2020
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