Looting and violence could have been stopped before it started- adopt DA's Community Safety Oversight Bill

28 July 2021

Gauteng businesses have been severely affected by the recent incidents of violence and looting, where many lives have been lost while the police failed to ensure the safety of residents and businesses.

This violence and looting could have been stopped before it started should the Gauteng ANC-led administration had adopted the DA’s Gauteng Community Safety Oversight Bill.

A copy of the Bill can be accessed _here.

The DA’s Gauteng Community Safety Oversight Bill is the only solution to improve police intelligence, to fight and prevent crime, and to ensure that the recent violent unrest and looting does not happen again in our province.

There are claims that SAPS’s lack of intelligence is one of the reasons why they failed to prevent these incidents before they occurred. The DA has written to the Gauteng Provincial SAPS Commissioner asking that SAPS and security companies share intelligence information to prevent future violence and looting.

The DA’s Gauteng Community Safety Oversight Bill is one of the best solutions to all safety and crime challenges that we face on a daily basis. The Bill would give effect to the province’s constitutional mandate and to regulate the Gauteng Provincial Government’s powers and functions regarding its oversight function over the police.

The Bill also covers the following additional mechanisms:

Provide for the support of and cooperation with the Civilian Secretariat and the Provincial Secretariat.

Provide directives for the establishment of community police forums and boards.

Provide for the accreditation of organisations and associations as neighbourhood watches and cater for partnerships with community organisations.

The establishment of the Office of the Gauteng Provincial Police Ombudsman to investigate complaints regarding the police and an advisory committee that fosters greater intelligence to the MEC by roping in all sectors of society, including legal, NGOs, business, and security companies.

This Bill will help improve SAPS’s efficiency in preventing and fighting crime, and without a doubt, will create an environment where communities will be able to trust the police through sharing of sensitive intelligence information.

The Bill has appeared once before the Committee for Subordinate Legislation and the Committee for Community Safety, where it was rejected by several ANC Members. In due course, the Bill will go for public hearings, followed by a final vote in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

The DA is appealing to all the members of the GPL, regardless of political affiliation, to vote with their conscience in the interests of the safety of residents by supporting this Bill, as it is the only viable solution of ensuring a safe and secure Gauteng.

Issued by Michael Shackleton, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, 28 July 2021