The recent crimes statistics continue to concern us as far as safety and security is concerned. Over the years, as a society, we have come to realize that crime knows no boundaries as it cuts across race, class, age, gender and social status. The prominent and elite are not spared.

Crime continues to dominate media reports and trends in social media space. However, all of us a have role to play in the fight against crime. Law enforcement agencies are entrusted to maintain law and order by ensuring that the people of Gauteng are and feel safe. The population in Gauteng is estimated at 12 914 817, which is around 23.9% of the population of the country and the number of South African Police (SAPS) members is around 33 045. Policing faces challenges due a number of issues, this includes a lack of resources such as vehicles etc.

Whilst the crime statistics for the province is a mixture of both progress and regression, the increase in murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and common robbery which recorded 10.4%, 11.4% and 11.6% respectively. Further increases were also recorded on assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, burglary at business premises, carjacking, truck hijacking, house robbery and business robbery. As the economic hub of the country the increases will not impact adversely on the achievement of our Transformation, Modernisation and Re-industrialisation vision as we have systems in place to counter this scourge.

Even though there are a number of successes recorded by Gauteng, a lot still needs to be done. For the year 2014/15, 277 299 people were arrested during crime prevention, 310 life sentences have been secured for serious crimes and sexual offences. A total of 12 703 vehicles were recovered and 179 police officers have been arrested for various crimes. This might offer little or no consolation in relation to the violence in our society and but it is an indication that SAPS is trying, but not much can be done without communities taking charge of their safety, by working hand in hand with the police.

Having noted problematic crimes as recorded in the 2014/15 financial year, the Gauteng province jointly with all its Law Enforcement Agencies, in the current financial year has introduced measures aimed at turning the situation around.  These interventions include fostering coordination amongst all law enforcement agencies in the province through the establishment of the Gauteng Law Enforcement Agencies forum.

The establishment of this structure will assist in identifying some of the challenges that were hampering policing such as inadequate radio communication integration amongst the agencies. These issues and more are receiving the necessary attention and already the results are showing. The facilitation of joint planning amongst law enforcement agencies to deal with crime will improve the quality of policing.

Last but not least, the Gauteng Law Enforcement Agencies Forum will soon develop crime specific strategies which include amongst others the TRIO Crimes, Contact Crimes, Illicit mining and Public Protest March strategies. These strategies are aimed at tackling some of the crimes that recorded increases in the previous financial year.The Take Charge and Know your Neighbourhood Campaigns remain key initiatives to community mobilisation.

The Gauteng City Region adopted the Gauteng Safety Strategy earlier this year as part of the provincial government’s vision of Transformation, Modernisation and Transformation. Subsequently, a new Take Charge Campaign was launched in Sedibeng on July 30 to mobilise different community structures such as the Faith Based, Labour, Sport, Art and Edutainment sectors.  We will also continue impressing upon the police to make full use of our Community Policing Forums, community patrollers and the youth desks in our endeavour to improve community intelligence.

Community Safety Structures are central in ensuring that the campaigns find resonance in communities and also become the driving force in mobilising citizens to take charge of their safety. Since the inception of the community safety campaigns in 2007, these sectors have directly interacted with over 1000 000 people across the province.

To ensure that we effectively address high levels of crime rate in our province, all law enforcement agencies should be held accountable for an increase in crime in the province. This has, for a very long time, been the responsibility that is only shouldered by South African Police Service. All factors that might be hindering police coordination in the province should be tackled at all levels, specific clusters that are struggling with crime levels should be assisted as a matter of urgency. The capacity in crime intelligence should receive serious attention. Community involvement and the training of Patrollers to gather intelligence need to be strengthened as well.

Whilst to some extent, we continue to experience challenges in the field of achieving safer communities in our province, we are convinced that the policy framework we have put in place; the Gauteng Safety Strategy; has positioned the province to ensure that we overcome these challenges and realize Gauteng as a safe province. Community involvement still remains a significant variable in the fight against crime. Therefore, we need to unite against crime.

Sizakele – Nkosi Malobane is the MEC for Community Safety in Gauteng