STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI

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

AT NHLANGANO KA-MJUDA COMMUNITY HALL

MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 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

At this, the third regional Dialogue in the Turn Back Crime series, it is an honour to come to Shiselweni and to engage the people of this region.

Of positive impact in the reduction and investigation of crime has been the cooperation and collaboration with the public, getting into communities to educate about crime, to build partnerships and motivate communities to take responsibility for helping in crime reduction and resolution. Our own community education, community policing and neighbourhood watch programmes are some of the examples of that strategy.

The Turn Back Crime Campaign is another step in the process. Today's event, to which I welcome this impressively large number of participants, will focus on consultation and dialogue with the local communities in keeping with the SMART Partnership style of pursuing dialogue to achieve consensus, the win-win with ideas and suggestions. A synthesis of those will be forwarded from this regional level into a National Crime Symposium. What is important is to emphasise to this gathering, and indeed to the Nation, that we want to ensure that the most practical and productive suggestions are converted to visible measures and processes.

 

I believe the concept of community participation is well captured within our national slogans - Bucala Yindzaba Yetfu Sonkhe (Crime is a Concern for all of us) and Nawe UliPhoyisa (All Citizens are Policemen). These slogans create a responsibility within all of us - to be alert, to be ready to report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities, and to never brush under the carpet domestic crime that, especially, has involved women and minors. Unreported crime of the latter nature not only imposes damage to victims but creates the danger of continuing violence to the victim, often including sexual violence and other forms of abuse.

Our national objective is to reduce crime to the absolute minimum. In doing so, we create the cornerstone of safety and security, establish confidence and stimulate the broad commitment to a higher level of commercial and social activity and responsibility. This provides a significant key to greater national prosperity, by whatever measure.

 

Achieving that objective demands a reciprocal commitment - one by the general public to dedicate itself to the two national slogans that I have mentioned, and the other by the Police Service itself.

Let me repeat very clearly that, regarding the Police, the general public has the irrefutable right to expect high standards of response, protection and the application of criminal law and detection of crime. It also requires the Police to show respect and to sustain the highest levels of honesty and integrity. The Police Bill, that has recently been reviewed by Parliament, aims to bring the existing 60 years old legislation up to date and, inter alia, define the nature of a modern Police Service, and assist it to operate effectively and efficiently. The Bill re-states the policy and constitutional responsibility relating to the Police Service which is defined as a disciplined force and essential service.

 

Keeping the Police Service as a robust and cohesive unit means not diffusing its effectiveness by allowing it to be politicised or drawn into trades union activity, creating the risk that potential industrial action could pose to the continuous protection of the general public. On the other hand, the Police Bill permits our Police Service to form associations which, itself, allows the important right of negotiation regarding terms and conditions of service for Police officers.

Parliament's review of the draft Police Bill produced the view that more stakeholder consultation was needed. The Portfolio Committee therefore took the decision to go back to the drawing board and start immediately the process of a fuller consultation, with a view to re-submitting the Bill, with whatever amendments are necessary, as soon as that exercise is completed.

Let us ensure today that we include discussion and a practical way forward on some of the criminal activities encountered in Shiselweni Region. Stock theft is rife and on a huge scale. Livestock farmers have lost entire herds of cattle, sometimes from armed attacks and theft at the actual kraals. This frequently involves a cross-border link. I encourage the Police to commit themselves to an energetic campaign and develop strong cross-border links of their own to counter this crime. Cattle owners have enough challenges from what the recent climatic conditions have imposed on them, without having to deal with the further distress caused by theft. Let all community members be vigilant and work hand in hand with each other and in close contact with Community Police and the traditional structures. I urge all Swazis to stay entirely away from stock theft. It is a crime that will attract heavy sentences.

There has been an outbreak of murders in this region - ruthless and senseless acts of violence. I appeal to the Nation not only to have respect for the sanctity of human life but also to be vigilant and pre-emptive in reporting to the nearest law and order agencies any imminent threats of that kind of extreme violence. Many such murders arise out of situations of uncontrolled anger. There will never be any justification for that.

But even more reprehensible are the murders of albinos in order to obtain body parts. Let us be absolutely clear - and please repeat this at every opportunity where you feel it is not understood - the body parts of albinos are no different from non-albinos! To suggest that possessing albino body parts confer any benefit for anybody is not only evil but is utterly fictitious and untrue. It brings shame to our society that anyone kills albinos or any other human being for their body parts and that anybody believes in it. It makes the people, who kill for body parts, evil murderers and those who seek to benefit from such practices equally evil and accountable. The law enforcement agencies are under instruction to leave no stone unturned in bringing offenders to justice. And the courts of justice also say unequivocally that the harvesting of body parts produces nothing, absolutely nothing, except a terrible loss of life for the victim, and punishment for killers and accomplices.

It would be hugely reassuring to hear, in this Dialogue, the very strong opposition to all forms of violence, especially gender-based violence and hear a loud condemnation of it. Human trafficking is another form of criminal activity that invariably involves sustained violence on women and children and one with devastating short and long term effects on the victims. Our national programme on the Three P's - prevent, protect and prosecute - is building steadily but there is no doubt that one of the great protection mechanisms will be a sharp sense of alertness and vigilance among the general public, and pro-active reporting of suspected cases to the Police.

It was deeply disappointing to read, last Thursday, about the forest fire that brought so much damage to Piggs Peak Timber Company. While the wilful destruction by arsonists is not in doubt, the perpetrators of the crime are still the subject of speculation. But we are seeing how extensively damaging to persons, companies, flora and fauna are these fires. We, on the Police side, have to provide the convincing assurance to the general public that we will vigorously investigate these hugely destructive crimes. I hope we will see rewards offered to the public for information leading to prosecution of offenders. That is a time-honoured technique used in most countries for crimes across the spectrum. Someone, somewhere, knows who started that fire. 

If the public speculation is correct, then how senseless it is to punish a fellow citizen, or company, when the grievance lies in an entirely different direction. If that does not reflect a warped mind then nothing does. And the costs go beyond the immediate victim. The Nation is affected, because reduced corporate financial performance affects the tax revenue of Government which, in turn, reduces the level or quality of public services.

I trust that there few remarks have given some context to the Dialogue of today. I thank all those participating, 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.