STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI

AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF HHOHHO REGION TURN BACK CRIME SMART PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE

AT PIGGS PEAK HOTEL,

WEDNESDAY 28 OCTOBER 2015

Honourable Ministers

Regional Administrator

Members of both Houses of Parliament

Members of the Business Community

National Commissioner of Police and Senior Officers

SMART Partners

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Today is a further important Dialogue in the Turn Back Crime series, this time for the Hhohho Region.

The style of the Dialogue, in a similar fashion to that held recently for the Lubombo Region, follows the SMART Partnership philosophy of prosper thy neighbour, as in our biblical teachings. The emphasis is on achieving a synergy – a win win where partnership is created through dialogue.

The SMART Partnership approach recognizes that there can be many interests, and it aims to find consensus despite the apparent mutually-exclusivity of many such interests. At the end of the day, the output achieved is in the form of sound and practical ideas which lead to real, material improvement. Their Majesties have been inspirational in the promotion and continuum of SMART Partnership work in the Kingdom, and we are grateful to Their Majesties for helping and guiding us to sustain the momentum.

Today's Dialogue is about reducing crime in our country, and one cannot see there being any mutual exclusivity of values and objectives among participants! As the popular saying goes - we are all on the same page. We all want, and indeed need, to see a reduction in the level of crime. But views may vary on the best strategies for achieving this.

As history illustrates very clearly, criminal activity has been present in all societies since the origin of our species. That fact does not justify the existence of crime, but recognition of it helps societies to tackle the problem constructively, rather than waste time and effort just lamenting its existence. There are many causes of crime, not the least of which are societal characteristics such as poverty, congestion and human greed, with the resultant dysfunctional behaviour and its negative impact on innocent people. So the total elimination of crime in a society is a wonderful dream. But unfortunately just a dream. The most realistic objective is, therefore, to reduce crime to the absolute minimum.

By achieving that, we are able to reduce fear and anxiety among law-abiding people, and prevent death and injury, thus effecting the transfer of energy and labour to the production of goods and services. It also enables a government to re-allocate resources towards improved service delivery in areas that encourage socio-economic development.

The Campaign finds its genesis within INTERPOL, the international organisation responsible for coordinating Police cooperation and collaboration on a world-wide basis. INTERPOL encourages all member states, which include Swaziland, to be proactive in campaigns to reduce crime. The Turn Back Crime campaign is one of the initiatives that we, in Swaziland, have chosen when tackling the problem of crime.

The views and suggestions of the participants of today's Dialogue will be of great significance, and those perceived to be of greatest value and practicality will be transmitted from this regional level into a National Crime Symposium. Promoting and supporting a programme such as the Turn Back Crime campaign is particularly valuable if we come up with practical and productive ideas that are then converted into real change on the ground, and do not remain in the pending tray so to speak. A valuable part of the SMART Partnership process is, therefore, the follow-up dialogue that examines whether valid suggestions really have led to implementation.

Underpinning the Turn Back Crime Campaign are our national slogans - Bucala Yindzaba Yetfu Sonkhe (Crime is a Concern for all of us) and Nawe UliPhoyisa (All Citizens are Policemen). These slogans encourage us, in the first instance, to reflect carefully and, self-critically on what constitutes crime and where we stand in terms of our own behaviour. The slogans then motivate us to be vigilant and public-spirited, taking responsibility when criminal activity is observed, and not being afraid to report it to the authorities. And, perhaps as important as any of the values, is that of recognising that sweeping domestic crime under the carpet, and failing to report it, is hugely damaging and sustaining danger for victims of such crime. In these slogans lies the recognition that responsibility for addressing and reducing crime is also shared by the general public, and is not on the shoulders of the Police alone.

There are crimes that are common to all four of our regions and others that are more a feature of some than others. This has clearly affected your choice of subjects today. Forestry employs as many as 8,000 in this region and is thus immensely important. Damaging crimes such as the wilful causing of forest fires and the theft of timber, will, I am sure occupy much discussion. Such activities result in the loss of jobs and, in so doing, become the enemies of the economic growth that our country so urgently needs.

Gender-based violence, which so often includes the sexual abuse of women and children, is a horrible crime with hugely damaging implications for the victims. The reality is considerably more nauseating than the words on paper. The brutality meted out to women and children is too common in our society. Personal safety and protection, especially of women and children, are a fundamental human right and, I might add, defended vigorously in first world countries. Systematic beatings in the home are invariably treated as criminal acts in those countries and dealt with severely in the courts. Let us be widely heard condemning gender-based violence and the beating of children. The most vulnerable in our society are protected by the Children's Protection and Welfare Act of 2015 and the early passage of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Bill 2015 will reinforce that protection. But the sound of a unanimous and vehement consensus at this Dialogue will encourage a speedy promulgation and a shift in the general attitude towards this form of violence. Above all, we should express our support, and voice that in a strenuous and determined manner. The Dialogue should be resolute in this, and motivate the Nation to condemn tibi tendlu (sweeping issues under the carpet).

Another crime that rouses our emotions is human trafficking, and, together with people smuggling, tends to disappear in one form only to re-appear in another. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and an appalling practice. Our national anti-trafficking programme is building steadily but we rely on our people across the country to remain vigilant and perceptive. This forum should discuss how best to mobilise communities to guard against this crime and report it when observed. People smuggling is currently capturing a larger share of the world headlines at the present time. What we rarely see, and is seldom brought to account, is the danger imposed by the smugglers in the avaricious pursuit of money.

This Dialogue would be incomplete without the inclusion of discussion of stock theft. It is prevalent across the country. From a personal perspective it is as offensive as stealing the windows off a person's house. Indeed, more so, since cattle have an important place in national culture as well as being a store of wealth and a valuable source of meat, whether for personal or commercial purposes.

A crime, the incidence of which is increasing to crisis levels, is the theft of copper wire. This has a damaging effect on essential services such as the supply of water and electricity, and paralyses the work of many institutions that serve the people. The result is inconvenience and, ultimately of course, higher charges to the general public. Your suggestions will, I am sure, prove to be valuable.

In these few comments I hope that I have put today's Dialogue in perspective, and drawn attention to some of the subjects and issues that will, no doubt, come into harmonious and fruitful discussions. It is now my honour to thank all those participating today, and the members of the business community who have contributed resources to enable this important Dialogue to go ahead. I now declare the Turn Back Crime SMART Partnership Dialogue officially opened.

Thank you.