Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille
City commits R4,5 million for deployment of safety kiosks
Note to editors: the following is an extract from a speech delivered by Mayor
De Lille at the launch event of the safety partnership announcement between
the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government Department of
Community Safety.
One of the core pillars of the City of Cape Town is our commitment to
building a safe city.
We believe that all our residents should be safe in their city, and free to live
their lives to the fullest extent.
Living under threat of violence and crime curtails that freedom, and limits
their access to opportunities.
When drawing up the City’s governance framework, the Integrated
Development Plan, we stated in 2012 that we would continue to dedicate
resources and programmes to ensure the safety of our residents.
Back then, we said that this would include fostering partnerships to build
capacity.
The announcement we are making here today underscores that strategic
objective.
In January, the Western Cape Government Department of Community Safety
allocated R2,5 million to the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security
Directorate.
These funds have been used to train Law Enforcement Auxiliary Officers in
order to deploy them to our communities.
The introduction of community safety kiosks will allow those officers to
facilitate the establishment of effective, stable and efficient law enforcement
services in the communities they serve.
This will ensure the availability of call-up systems during incidents such as
gang flare-ups, illegal protests and illegal land invasions.
Thus far, the funding received from the Department of Community Safety has
been used for:
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The training of 161 auxiliary officers, who have completed peace office
and traffic warden courses successfully. Another 13 members are
currently undergoing this training.
Training in pepper spray usage for 20 auxiliary officers. The remaining
officers will undergo the same training over the next two months.
Basic firearm and shotgun training.
Procurement of uniforms for the appointed officers.
Training as School Resource Officers (SROs). Thus far, 27 officers have
completed this course, and 27 more will soon be commencing their
training.
To date, this programme has seen the appointment of 117 auxiliary officers.
The City of Cape Town has also committed R4,5 million to ensure the
effectiveness and operational success of this initiative.
These funds have been made available for the implementation of an
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) project.
Through this project, we will work towards building effective partnerships
between schools and the communities in which our auxiliary officers operate,
in order to actively contribute towards the creation of safe school
environments, and by extension, safer communities.
They will also enhance public safety and community policing by assisting the
City’s existing law enforcement departments.
The on-the-job training for the municipal staff and EPWP interns who will
operate the community safety kiosks on a daily basis will enable them to
coordinate public safety patrolling from the kiosks, and perform other visible
policing activities.
They will also serve as a public liaison and community support service to the
relevant communities.
Lastly, they will refer public safety complaints and keep a record of incidents
reported at the safety kiosks.
I wish to thank the Department of Community Safety for supporting the City
of Cape Town by donating these kiosks, which allow us the flexibility to deploy
them where they are most needed.
The safety kiosks earmarked for the first phase roll-out will be deployed as
roaming units in the communities of Hanover Park, Manenberg, Grassy Park,
Delft, Clarke Estate, Wesbank, Mitchells Plain and Tafelsig.
I would also like to thank them for partnering with us to assist members of the
communities in playing an active role in the identification and resolution of
safety concerns within their neighbourhoods.
We take this opportunity to welcome the establishment of the office of the
ombudsman, who will be assisting through the mandate of investigating
issues of poor service delivery by the police, such as delayed police response
or negligence of court procedure.
By working together to make a success of this ground-breaking project, we
will make progress possible.
I thank you.