Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Minister of Police, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of sister departments, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, and chairpersons of other portfolio committees of sister departments, members of the SAPS present, stakeholders in the Department of Police, fellow colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, the motto of the SA Police Service, "together squeezing crime to zero", seeks to strengthen the fight against crime. However, we need to ensure that there is strong civilian oversight of the police, so that the basic rights of our citizens, which we have fought so hard for, do not get violated by the police in their fight against crime.
It is for this reason that the ANC undertook to strengthen our civilian oversight institutions, namely the Independent Complaints Directorate, ICD, which is soon to be known as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, IPID, as well as the Police Civilian Secretariat. The mandate of these institutions expands to the municipal police service as well. The mandate of the directorate is to investigate offences, whether real or alleged, committed by members of the SAPS. The offences include death as a result of police action, misconduct and noncompliance with laid-down prescripts.
We have noted a number of changes in the functions of the ICD, for instance the transfer of certain functions, such as station audits, cell inspections and the Domestic Violence Act, to the Police Civilian Secretariat. The ANC urges the directorate to ensure that there is a smooth and proper transition, and a proper handover to the relevant institutions.
A concern of the ANC remains the large number of vacant posts as a result of staff turnover, especially in Programme 2, which deals with the processing, monitoring and investigation of complaints, and also the use of consultants, which depletes the budget allocated to the directorate. It is therefore recommended that the directorate strengthen the capacity-building and skills development programmes at both provincial and national levels. After all, these are some of the priorities mentioned in President Jacob Zuma's state of the nation address in February this year.
This should also be coupled with recruitment and retention strategies, especially with regard to the relevant expertise in those respective structures. This will also fast-track the clearing of backlogs and the filling of vacant posts, highlighted in the estimates of national expenditure for this year.
The ANC appreciates the commitment made by the directorate towards ensuring that there is no backlog in the completion of cases of different offences committed or allegedly committed by members of the SAPS. However, it urges the directorate to review the target that it has set itself. This will ensure that some of the ANC's priority goals of the 2009 election manifesto, that of ensuring safer communities, reducing crime and defeating corruption, are achieved.
The Estimate of Expenditure of 2011 indicates that there are three researchers under Programme 3, each of whom conducts one research project per year. To avoid wasteful expenditure, it is suggested that, as important as research is in any institution, it should be conducted only when there is a need to do so.
It is important that the ICD develop a clear strategy for marketing and publicising the directorate throughout the country, considering its important and prudent functions. This should be done especially in far- flung rural areas. In the next financial year, the ANC recommends that the directorate consider the proposal of the National Treasury regarding the 1:5 ratio of support to line-function staff.
The Police Civilian Secretariat is currently operating as a cost centre under the SAPS budget. Once the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service Act has been promulgated, the structure will be a designated department reporting directly to the Minister of Police. The ANC commends the work done by the Secretariat and the ICD. Since the Civilian Secretariat will be establishing provincial secretariats, it is urged that the process be accelerated to ensure optimal functioning of these structures.
The ANC appreciates the contribution that the community policing forums, the CPFs, are making, and for the work that they have been doing in helping to fight crime and corruption. I can say without fear of contradiction that they are the brainchild of the ANC. However, the ANC has also been concerned that the work they have been doing has been very unco-ordinated. We are proud to learn that the Secretariat is developing guidelines that will assist the CPFs in executing their functions. It is hoped, indeed, that this process will be fast-tracked.
The ANC supports the Budget Vote, and I thank you. [Applause.]