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1 THURSDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2018 PROCEEDINGS OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT The sign † indicates the original language and [ ] directly thereafter indicates a translation. The House met at 14:15. The Speaker took the Chair and read the prayer. The SPEAKER: Good afternoon, hon members. To our guests in the gallery who are still making their way in, welcome to the gallery this afternoon. Please be aware of the notices in the gallery regarding the use of cellphones. You are also reminded that you are not allowed to participate in any proceedings of the House. We thank you for being here with us today and I would like to call the House to order. I have to announce that I have received a letter from the acting Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, informing me that a vacancy has occurred in the delegation of the Western Cape with the resignation of the hon J J Londt. I recognise the Chief Whip. (Notice of Motion) 2 Mr M G E WILEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give notice that I shall move: That, notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 198, precedence be given to the subject for discussion, thereafter the first Order of the Day. Thank you. And my apologies, Madam Speaker, that the Motion on the Order Paper in my name be heard first, thank you. The SPEAKER: Okay. The Chief Whip moved the motion on the Order Paper. Are there any objection? No objections. Agreed to. Chief Whip, do I need to recognise you again? (Subject for Discussion) THE LATEST CRIME STATISTICS AND THE IMPACT THEREOF ON THE WESTERN CAPE. Mr M G E WILEY: I would like to congratulate Dr George on being ratified as a permanent delegated of the NCOP. [Applause] The SPEAKER: Thank you. Okay, hon members, we now move to the subject for discussion. In the name of the hon member M G Wiley as printed on the Order Paper. I recognise the hon the Chief Whip Wiley. 3 Mr M G E WILEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, some years ago SAPS took a decision to stop issuing real-time crime stats in favour of a system that released the statistics a year in arrears. Mr Q R DYANTYI: “Some years ago”, when was that? Mr M G E WILEY: The decision mirrored the UK system which also release stats in arrears. [Interjections.] The Scotland Yard PC at the time, Sir Paul Condon … (intervention) The SPEAKER: Hon member Dyantyi … Mr M G E WILEY: … explained to me that the purpose was to give the authorities the time to analyse the crime trends and then to implement strategies to counter these trends, so that by the time the stats were released, the public could be reassured that the crime drivers were being addressed and that these indices were already showing some improvement. Mr Q R DYANTYI: [Inaudible.] is what you are doing. The SPEAKER: Hon member Dyantyi … Mr M G E WILEY: This makes sense. The SPEAKER: … order please. 4 Mr Q R DYANTYI: The stats is not the problem. Mr M G E WILEY: Psychologically this is the best way to maintain public confidence in the police and to give the public the security of knowledge that the situation is under control. It takes time to build synergies and strategies within spheres of government, as well as bridges to the community. The Bavarian Police Delegation currently visiting the Province, stressed the importance of building public confidence in the police and added that sufficient numbers of officers on the ground w ere vital to interact with the public, developing relations, building trust and communication. This communication is educational on the one hand, but also a rich source of information. Their public confidence in the police in Bavaria is the highest of any government department … [Interjections.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: It is chalk and cheese. That is chalk and cheese. Mr M G E WILEY: … because they are seen as a totally professional … [Interjections.] The SPEAKER: Chief Whip Wiley, kindly … [Interjections.] Mr M G E WILEY: … and apolitical. The SPEAKER: Chief Whip Wiley, kindly take your seat, please. Hon 5 member Dyantyi, interjections are allowed, but an ongoing interjection becomes a diatribe. I am asking you to cooperate, so please do not interrupt the speaker on the floor, and no running interjections. Thank you. Mr Q R DYANTYI: I will continue with interjections. The SPEAKER: You may – hon member Dyantyi, I have just addressed you. Interjections are allowed, but no running commentary. Thank you. You may proceed, Chief Whip. Mr M G E WILEY: Thank you. The crime statistics relating to the Western Cape speak for themselves. They are shocking, but they are also revealing that they clearly indicate crimes of pattern. Some categories are as bad as one might find in the worst parts of the world. Gang-related crime, organised crime syndicates, alcohol -related crime and domestic violence is some of the prominent groupings. So how does the South African Police deal with these challenges? Firstly, as far as the Western Cape is concerned, they are reducing police numbers year on year for the last three years and plan to continue doing so, despite the province having the lowest population to police ratio in th e country. Secondly, when they do bring about strategies to counter crime, they strip the already under-resourced local police stations even more, for example the new launched Anti-Gang Unit. This affects police morale at stations, it affects 6 service delivery at the [Interjections.] most crucial level, and strains police community relations. [Interjections.] Thirdly it is quite obvious that the National Government sees policing and crime combatting as an extension of their political arm. [Interjections.] Senior appointments are made based on allegiances to the ANC. In the run -up to the 2019 election, bearing in mind that this province is the only non-ANC one, this has reached fever pitch. The launch of the Anti -Gang Unit was an extravagant jamboree … [Interjections.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: Really? Mr M G E WILEY: … despite the fact that for the preceding decade [Interjections.] … [Interjections.] The SPEAKER: Order, please! Hon members, there is too much noise on the floor. You cannot drown out a speaker. [Interjections.] Mr M G E WILEY: Despite for the preceding decade gangs were just as murderous [Interjections.] and destructive. Why now the launch? Calls by the DA to restart the Unit fell on deaf ears [Interjections.] as the bodies piled up day by day. The SPEAKER: Chief Whip … [Interjections.] 7 Mr M G E WILEY: The ANC … [Interjections.] The SPEAKER: Sorry, kindly take your seat. I am now going to address both sides of the House. It is disrespectful to the speaker to engage in your own dialogue. So I am requesting both side of the House, there is too much noise whilst we have a speaker on the floor. I require your cooperation. You may proceed, Chief Whip. Mr M G E WILEY: The ANC election manager, Ebrahim Rasool, and National Minister Cele, see crime combatting as the sole responsibility of the DA Provincial and Local Government. It is a good example of how they refuse to embark on another of the key success indicators: cooperation between spheres of government. In this debate you will hear just how much this Province has stretched its constitutional mandate. Rasool, when he was Premier here, did none of the things he accuses the DA of. On the contrary … [Interjections.] Ms M N GILLION: Ag, please. Mr M G E WILEY: … he destroyed relations with the poli ce. An HON MEMBER: Please! Mr M G E WILEY: This highly successful [Inaudible.] structure which bound 8 all departments across the government spheres in a coordinated team was disbanded by them. The much touted Bambanani citizens group, created by this Government, was later disbanded also by the ANC Government in 2008. [Interjections.] As it was criticised as paying slave wages, was ineffective and exploitative. Amusingly the newest champion of the ANC plan, Lennit Max, was highly critical in the Bambanani’s in 2008 in this House, but what has changed Lennit? Maybe it is the R35 million slush fund that Mr Cele has found. [Interjections.] Rasool and Cele say [Interjections.] … Say that crime cannot be stopped [Interjections.] until the socio-economic … [Interjections.] The SPEAKER: Order, please! Mr M G E WILEY: … factors are addressed. An HON MEMBER: Six million. Mr M G E WILEY: The police cannot patrol in informal settlements apparently. Well, given that the budgets to the ordinary constable on the bea t and the detectives have been so stripped that they cannot afford torches, radios and that the few have to patrol in numbers, it is not surprising that they are afraid to go in there. Where is P opcru outrage when the torches and radios meant for the professional constables are now going to be given to untrained volunteers? 9 Mr P UYS: Where are your stats? Mr M G E WILEY: Is this a strategy? An HON MEMBER: And why not? Mr M G E WILEY: Yet the VIP protection unit, the Presidential Unit and other special units, have only seen their budgets rise steeply. The most sophisticated equipment, weapons, communication systems and external training. Is the protection of a few elites a strategy? Lately information is a key. Last year’s information is a key; crime intel ligence. Despite the gathering of an analysis of information being the sole competence of the National Government, it is inconceivable that over several years more than 60% of the Metrorail coaches in the City of Cape Town have been destroyed without a single arrest and a single conviction.

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