Hon Chairperson, in order for our Police Service to effectively carry out its mandate to prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, ensure the security of our citizens and uphold and enforce our laws, it is necessary that they are afforded every possible form of logistical support by the government. Any failure by the government in this regard will have both direct and extremely dire consequences for the law-abiding citizens of our country. The IFP, therefore, urges the government to do all it can in terms of budgetary and logistical support for our Police Service. The building of new police stations and the upgrading of existing satellite police stations are paramount in respect of our visible policing policy, which we know is in itself an effective crime deterrent. To this end, we would like to see a stronger relationship development between the Police Service and the Department of Public Works, as a breakdown in communication results in unnecessary building delays and gives criminals added opportunities to play their dirty games.
The IFP awaits the results of the investigation by the Special Investigating Unit into the department in order to be able to ascertain exactly what to do and what to say about corruption. The same applies to the Public Protector investigation in Durban and Gauteng.
The IFP welcomes the increase in the number of police personnel, but the Ministry must see to it that these members are utilised as optimally as possible by the Police Service in areas that require the most urgent attention, areas such as visible policing and detective services.
The IFP wants to see greater budgetary assistance being made available to detective services as, currently, this area of the Police Service is in dire need of assistance. Our detectives have inferior or damaged equipment, are understaffed and consequently have low morale. These factors do not lead to a productive work output, the net result being that criminals who should be behind bars are now walking the streets.
The SAPS' forensics unit has made great strides in dealing with the backlog in forensic cases, and the Minister must be congratulated on this, Nyambose! However, there is still a lot of work to be done until the forensics laboratories are up to date. We therefore urge the Minister to maintain the impetus in this area.
The Independent Complaints Directorate is another area of concern for the IFP. Unnecessary travelling costs incurred by the ICD head office staff, when provincial ICD staff were perfectly capable of attending to the work that was required within the provinces, is an example of wasteful and unnecessary expenditure and this must be eradicated, starting at the top, if we are ever to inculcate in the department a culture of responsible use of resources.
The IFP is looking forward to full and proper investigations being carried out by the ICD into errant members of the Police Service, and we trust that such investigations will be carried out without any third-party interference. The IFP would also like to see the correct measures being taken in terms of policy implementation and strict adherence by the department to directives from the Minister.
Police brutality, negligence and recklessness can only be curbed by the institution having a strict code of conduct to which all Police Service members should adhere. The Minister, the National Commissioner and all other high-ranking police officials must lead from the front and be beyond reproach in all their dealings, so as to set the correct example for other members of the Police Service to follow.
The IFP wants to know how the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation continued to do its work when there was a judgment on its legislative establishment. The consequences are very serious.
IsiZulu sithi: Umvundla ziyowunqanda phambili. Isalakutshelwa sibona ngomopho. [There is an expression in isiZulu that goes: There are dark clouds on the horizon. And there's another one which says: if you do not heed advice, you will learn the hard way.] In conclusion, the IFP wishes the Minister and the entire Police Service a safe and productive year ahead with keeping South Africans safe. I thank you.