Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon members of this House, I wish to thank you for the opportunity to reflect on certain critical issues concerning the criminal justice system in our province. However, before I do so, allow me to congratulate the Ministers of Safety and Security, Justice and Constitutional Development, and Correctional Services on the outstanding achievements in transforming our criminal justice system from the main bastion of protection of white minority rule into one that is responsive to the needs of the majority of our people.
What makes their achievement even more remarkable, is the fact that this transformation has been achieved against great odds, such as limited resources and opposition from the conservative, pro-apartheid officials who refuse to accept change.
These people who refuse change do want the Government to protect them, but on the other hand, they violate human rights to the worst extreme. It is time that they do some introspection, take out what is wrong in themselves, and retain and implement what is right. By so doing they will make it easier for the Government to eradicate quite a number of cases.
I am pleased to say that the positive changes made at national level have filtered down to our province as well. These changes presented us with the opportunity to reduce crime and to ensure that the people in our province enjoy greatly improved levels of security in line with our Government's commitment to a better life for all. Allow me to say that farmworkers do not enjoy this. Their living conditions are still terrible.
The Northern Province covers a vast area and has a population of approximately 6,1 million. It is divided into four policing areas and has 91 police stations, with a total staff complement of 8 094 police members and 883 civilians. Our provincial government plays a key role in initiating and co-ordinating social crime prevention strategies through the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison. The department has identified a number of programmes and activities through which it hopes to prevent social crime. It is currently drafting a manual for community-based crime prevention in the province. The aim of the manual is to assist local authorities to design their own crime prevention plans.
The province takes its monitoring and oversight role over the police very seriously. To this effect it has established community policing forums at most police stations in the province. Through these forums the provincial government is able to monitor adherence to Government policies by the police. These forums also provide the province with a platform to establish community needs in terms of safety and security.
The police's rural protection plan is aimed at the protection of farms and smallholdings, and all other rural communities. The reality, however, is that police take little cognisance of other rural communities and their need for protection against crimes such as stock theft and the theft of water equipment, which are major problems in some of our rural communities.
Given the rural nature of our province, as well as the current distribution of police stations and resources, it is suspected that a large number of these crimes never get reported due to the inaccessibility of the police to such areas. This naturally affects the quality of life of our people living in these remote rural areas.
Our experience with witchcraft violence has shown that awareness campaigns and rallies remain the most effective way of reaching the community to convey the message to stop participating in this form of crime. We can unequivocally state that the occurrence of witchcraft violence has abated in the province. A new scourge has now reared its ugly head in the province, namely that of domestic violence, which has been the cause of most murders reported during 1999. The Department of Safety, Security and Liaison is morally obliged to go out to the communities to add its voice to that of the provincial legislature and the Commission on Gender Equality to stop this crime in the province.
It has also solicited support from the Social Services Cabinet Committee to encourage agencies involved in development projects on behalf of Government to obtain court interdicts where persons are found to be interfering with or damaging development projects, and to encourage development agencies to lay formal charges at the nearest police station should theft or damages occur at these development projects.
Although our provincial department is trying very hard to ensure that the people in our province enjoy adequate levels of safety and security, we do experience some problems, including an inadequate level of funding. In spite of these problems, the department remains committed to carrying out its ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]