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The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council, chaired by Premier Sihle Zikalala, convened its final meeting for the year on Wednesday, 8 December 2021, making several decisions affecting the province’s residents.
Here are some key points that KZN residents should be aware of:
Residents to prepare for National Census in 2022
Statistics South Africa informed the Provincial Executive Council that it will conduct a population and housing census; Census 2022, beginning on 2 February 2022.
The upcoming census is seen as a significant milestone by the Executive Council, as it will be the fourth population count since 1994. “Significantly, the census has serious implications for the Budget of our Provincial Government and, by extension, its ability to discharge public service delivery,” says KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala.
As a result, the Executive Council urges all KwaZulu-Natal citizens to prepare and be ready to be counted.
According to the Provincial Executive Council, this is critical so that the province receives an adequate amount of resources and funds proportionate to the actual population of KZN. The Provincial Government urges residents across the province to welcome Census officials into their homes and provide accurate information.
Furthermore, the Executive council states that it was alarmed at the report on the state of policing in KZN and the handling of domestic violence.
The Executive Council received an oversight report from the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, headed by MEC Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni—on the state of policing in the province and the handling of domestic violence incidents. The Executive Council commissioned the report as part of its oversight and desire to contain the tide of crime in the province.
The Executive Council has expressed its dissatisfaction with the glaring weaknesses and ineffectiveness within police stations. Particularly in dealing with the scourge of domestic violence.
The findings include, among other things, that Community Policing Forums face a lack of resources such as budgets, office space, and transportation. Further issues found are as follows:
- Protection orders are not being enforced because of vehicle shortages.
- Particulars of complaints are not being detailed correctly.
- Victim friendly facilities lack resources, and some are under-utilised.
- Regular inspections are not being carried out
- Some police stations do not have updated registers, and Station Commanders do not regularly check them as per requirement.
Another finding that deeply concerned the Provincial Executive Council is the shortage and overloading of cases, compromising quality. As a result, such behaviour leads to dockets being withdrawn from courts and criminals walking free.
The provincial government has enlisted professional help to assess dockets that have been withdrawn from the courts and inspect and analyse the reasons for the withdrawal. The Provincial Government has launched a “Court Watching Brief” project to improve on dockets between courts and police stations.
The report also identifies sector policing as a challenge due to a personnel shortage. Additionally, the report makes several recommendations to improve the current state of policing, focusing on GBV and domestic violence in KZN.
These recommendations are to:
- Ensure trial times are improved by increasing the trial-ready capacity of cases.
- Reallocate human and financial resources to focus on GBV and Domestic Violence.
- Focus on training CPF Coordinators’.
- Have Station Commanders encourage the holding of CPF meetings.
- Prioritise Detective training.
- Urgently address the effectiveness of SAPS garages in servicing vehicles.
In preparation for the coming Festive Season and holiday travel, the Executive Council adopted the Action Plan of the SAPS targeting the top 30 crime hotspot police stations as identified in the latest Crime Statistics for 2021.
The Action Plan makes the following announcements:
- Liquor law enforcement.
- Crime awareness programmes including a dedicated focus on GBV.
- Establishment of Ward Safety Committees and Community Policing Forums.
- Monitoring of Visible Policing during the festive season.
- Roadblocks, cordon and search, stop and search, intelligence-driven operations.
- Monitoring of Specialised units.
- Deployment of anti-crime volunteers in communities.
- Deploying the Drug Taskforce team on serious operations.
- Engaging community on Stock Theft, public violence, school safety, Isibaya saMadoda and teaching life skills to avoid crime among young people.
- Establishing the anti-Rape Liaison in the SAPS.
Reconciliation Day 2021 to be held in Ncome (uMzinyathi District)
The Provincial Executive Council received an update on plans to hold Reconciliation Day (16 December) at the Ncome Cultural Museum in the uMzinyathi District.
Ncome is the site of the 1838 Battle of Blood River, and it is here that the Afrikaners promised to erect the Voortrekker Monument if they won the war. Furthermore, 16 December was declared a holiday following the break of democracy in 1994.
The Provincial Government says, “It remains a day of great significance, reminding South Africa that reconciliation is possible even among previously sworn enemies and that we must thrive to live together in an equal non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa. The Provincial Government will use the 2021 reconciliation day to build bridges, unite society and to promote common nationhood among citizens. All citizens are encouraged to use the day to reach out to one another as the country continue to build a united, non-racial and non-sexist nation.”
What are your thoughts on the various plans being implemented in KZN?
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