The Department of Community Safety and Liaison oversees the effectiveness and efficiency of police service in KwaZulu-Natal, facilitating good relations between the police and the community, and the coordination of crime-prevention initiatives.
Mission
To be the lead agency in driving the integration of community safety initiatives, towards a crime-free KwaZulu Natal.
Vision
The people of KwaZulu-Natal live in a safe and secure environment.
Strategic goals
• To monitor police efficiency and effectiveness
• To promote good relations and establish partnerships between the police and the communities
• To facilitate the development and coordination of social crime-prevention initiatives
• To promote and support victim empowerment
• To ensure good governance through the rendering of overall management and timeous administrative support services to the department
• To render an
effective legal administration service
One of the key community liaison projects for the department is the Volunteer Social Crime Prevention Project.
National Youth Service registration for KZN project
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mr Willies Mchunu, told members of the provincial legislature during the department’s 2010/11 budget speech that the volunteer project spearheaded by his department has now become a national project.
This follows a visit in November 2009 by delegates from the office of the Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Fikile Mbalula. The department was requested to register the project so that it can be accredited as part of the National Youth Service (NYS) because of its contribution to the values of the NYS.
A total of 2 100 volunteers were recruited to form part of the Volunteer Social Crime Prevention Project in the run up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Volunteers are deployed in all 11 districts in the province of KwaZulu- Natal – mainly in and around schools and crime hot-spot areas in the cities and towns. Through partnerships forged with the UK’s Greater Manchester Police Department, the volunteers have been provided with relevant training.
The NYS is tasked with the following objectives:
• To work with government departments and civil society to identify, design and implement youth-service projects
• To register and give national recognition to youth-service projects that meet the set criteria To raise awareness about the value of service and ensure that there is increasing support for service, from all sectors of society
• To develop a monitoring and evaluation strategy for the National Youth Service
• In the long term, to award the National Youth Service Institutional Award to organisations that implement youth service projects according to the set criteria
• To help mobilise resources to
support the National Youth Service Programme
On the path of innovation
The Volunteer Social Crime Prevention Project is well known for being a catalyst for innovation. Towards the end of 2009, and as part of bringing about improvements in the projects service delivery, a call centre was launched to introduce a technological aspect to crime prevention. Since its launch, mobile devices linked to the call centre have been handed to all volunteers deployed throughout the province so that their movements can be tracked and they are able to report incidents of a criminal or social nature immediately.
With the push of one button on the device, the volunteer is able to send a signal to the call centre indicating that assistance is required. The call centre is then able to track the volunteer involved, find out where they are and then communicate with them to ascertain the type of assistance they need. Through this system, there have been incidents of crime being averted and sometimes perpetrators have been arrested on the spot. Volunteers have also used their devices to call for emergency services on behalf of their communities.
Amazingly enough, the volunteer project has not only shown positive results in crime prevention but it has also contributed to the upliftment of communities. Volunteers deployed in different areas are able to refer people in need to welfare services, health facilities and other social services offered by other government departments. This is another way that the Department of Community Safety and Liaison makes a contribution to provincial efforts to bring about integrated service delivery.
The department is proud of its ability to come up with innovations in the manner in which service delivery is provided. In this way, it hopes to bring development to the people of KwaZulu-Natal and subsequently contribute to making South Africa better.
Contact details
Key
personnel
Willies Mchunu, MEC
YE Bacus, Head of Department
Tel: +27 33 341 9300
Fax: +27 33 341 9403
Email: bacusye@comsafety.gov.za
Physical address: Mondi House, 179 Jabu Ndlovu (formerly Loop) Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201
Postal address: Private Bag X9143, Pietermaritzburg 3200
Website: www.kzncomsafety.gov.za
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