THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON SAFETY AND SECURITY, HAVING CONSIDERED BUDGET VOTE 25: SAFETY AND SECURITY, REPORTS DATED 23 JUNE 2004 AS FOLLOWS:

1. Introduction

On 26 May 2004 the Ad Hoc Committee on Safety and Security heard a presentation on a review of the Department for Safety and Security’s budget for 2003/4 and a briefing on the department’s strategic plan for 2004/5, linked to the MTEF.

Policing priorities:

The priorities of the National Department of Safety and Security are:

These focus area initiatives will be enhanced by appointing additional personnel and deploying more personnel in priority geographical areas to increase visibility, reducing contact crime by 7 to 10% for the next ten years, restructuring the departmental units for effective service delivery, investing in capital and basic equipment, building and maintaining policing structures, modernising information technology and by continued establishment of a division of protection and security services.

2. The Safety and Security Vote for 2004/5 in context

The Department of Safety and Security has received R24, 509 billion for the 2004/05 financial year. This amounts to 6.64% of the total Budget. Last year (2003/04), it received R21, 967 billion, which amounted to 5.95% of the total Budget. Its percentage allocation of the Budget has thus increased slightly. (All figures for 2003/04 refer to the Revised Estimates as indicated in the Estimates of Expenditure 2004.)

The Department of Safety and Security received 42.06% of the total allocation for the Justice and Protection Services cluster, which includes the departments of Correctional Services, Defence, Justice and Constitutional Development, Safety and Security and the Independent Complaints Directorate.

The Government’s total commitment to improving the Justice and Protection cluster is reflected in the large allocation to this cluster. In 2004/05, this cluster receives a total of R58, 271 billion which reflects15.8% of the total Budget.

Justice and Protection Services Cluster

2004/05

(R’000)

% of Cluster Vote

Safety and Security

24 509 656

42.06%

Correctional Services

8 407 789

14.43%

Defence

20 257 326

34.76%

Independent Complaints Directorate

42 114

0.07%

Justice and Constitutional Development

5 054 417

8.67%

Total for Cluster

58 271 302

 

Total Budget Vote

368 903 926

 

3. Structure of the Vote

The Vote has once again been restructured from six (6) into five (5) programmes.

A new programme entitled Visible Policing has replaced the programmes Crime Prevention and Operational Response Services.

The 2003 Vote with measurable objectives is divided as follows:

4. Expenditure Trends

 

2003/2004 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

2005/06

(R’000)

2006/07

(R’000)

Vote 25

21 967 926

24 509 656

26 838 390

28 726 918

Nominal percentage increase

 

11.5%

9.5%

7%

The Vote increases by 11.5% in 2004/05. It is envisaged that the increases to the Vote will be slightly lower in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.

Key priorities over the MTEF period include:

Supplementary amounts of R83 million (2004/05), R349 million (in 2005/06), R607 million (in 2006/07) and R921 (in 2007/08) million have been allocated to the SAPS over the medium term to:

Real increases in the Safety and Security Budget.

 

While the Safety and Security Vote has increased by 11.5% from 2003/04, its real increase is actually 5.85%. The real increase takes into account inflation (using the GDP deflator of 1.054).

 

2003/04

(R’000)

2004/05

(R’000)

Vote 25

21 967 926

24 509 656

Nominal percentage increase

 

11.5%

Real percentage increase

 

5.85%

The following are the real increases for each programme. Protection and Security Services (Programme 5), received the highest increase of 14.21% in real terms, while Crime Intelligence (Programme 4) receives the lowest increase of just 0.5% in real terms.

Programme

2003/04

(R’000)

2004/05

(R’000)

Nominal increase

Real increase

Administration

6 257 195

7 053 069

13%

6.94%

Visible Policing

10 948 119

12 239 943

10.5%

6.07%

Detective Services

3 693 481

4 021 815

7.4%

3.31%

Crime Intelligence

639 532

677 678

5.9%

0.5%

Protection and Security Services

429 599

517 151

20.4%

14.21%

 

5. Key policy trends impacting on the budget

Strategic Priorities

The strategic priorities remained those outlined in the Strategic Plan (2002-2005). In addition the National Crime Combating Strategy continues to guide operations and resources at station level. Resources are focused on high crime areas and priority stations within a multidisciplinary geographical approach. A service integrity framework has been developed to reduce corruption and improve management and supervision.

Interdepartmental Cooperation and Coordination

South African Police Service (SAPS) strategies and priorities are aligned to the goals of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) and the Integrated Justice System (IJS) that coordinate interdepartmental crime prevention initiatives. Justice and Protection Services cluster priorities are: organised crime, border security, corruption, contact crimes, firearms and cooperation in the region and on the continent.

Restructuring

The SAPS has continued with its restructuring process. Aspects of this restructuring include:

Enhancing Policing Presence

New developments and priorities include:

Services to Victims

Key initiatives:

Technology

The investment in technology includes:

6. Programme Allocations

Programme 1: Administration

 

2003/04 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

Administration

6 257 195

7 053 069

Nominal percentage increase

 

13%

This programme makes up 28.8% of the Vote and reflects an annual increase of 13% for the 2004/05 financial year. Information Technology (IT) expenditure falls under this programme and is increased by 20.8% for 2004/05 in order to implement the Department’s information system/Information and Communication Technology plan. An amount of R723, 68 million has been allocated to information and communication technology in 2004/05. Almost 70% of the IT allocation will get paid to the State Information Technology Agency (Sita). The allocation for machinery and equipment has doubled from R62 million to R124 million for the 2004/05 financial year, in order to modernise the vehicle fleet and install a new radio communication network in Gauteng.

Programme 2: Visible Policing

 

2003/04 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

Programme 2: Visible Policing

10 948 119

12 239 943

Nominal percentage increase

 

10.5%

The budget for Visible Policing increased by 10.5% for 2004/05 in comparison to 2003/04. The programme is used to fund services at police stations, specialised interventions and border policing. It comprises almost 50% of the total SAPS budget for 2004/05. Resources to police the elections are contained in this year’s allocation.

Provision has been made in this programme for the recruitment of an additional 16 200 personnel of the next three years, excluding replacements due to staff turnover.

Key outputs:

Programme 3: Detective Services

 

2003/04 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

Programme 3: Detective Services

3 693 481

4 021 815

Nominal percentage increase

 

8.8%

Detective Services consumes 16.4% of the total Vote and increases by 8.8% this year. This programme covers general investigations at station level; specialised services such as the Organised Crime Unit, the Serious and Violent Crime Unit, the Commercial Crime Unit, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units and the Serious Economic Offences Unit; the Criminal Record Centre and the Forensic Science Laboratory.

Key developments:

Programme 4: Crime Intelligence

 

2002/2003 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

Programme 4: Crime Intelligence

639 532

677 678

Nominal percentage increase

 

5.9%

Crime Intelligence makes up 2.8% of the Vote and increases by 5.9% this year over last year’s revised estimate. According to the Estimates of Expenditure, crime Intelligence remains one of the fastest growing programmes in the Budget in order to meet the increased demand for effective crime intelligence for the police.

There are currently 39 undercover operations registered.

Programme 5: Protection and Security Services

 

2003/04 (R’000)

2004/2005 (R’000)

Programme 5: Protection and Security Services

429 599

517 151

Nominal percentage decrease

 

20.4%

Protection and Security Services consumes 2% of the Vote. This programme has been expanded to include not only the protection of local and foreign persons but also the security of key government installations. The programme increased by 20.4% this year in order to roll out projects related to the provision of security at key government installations. This additional funding will also be used to fund an additional 500 specially trained personnel for 2004/05. A medium and long-term recruitment plan is in place and thus further increases in personnel over these periods will occur.

  1. Recommendations.

 

 

 

Ms M M Sotyu

CHAIR PERSON