ATC130612: Report of the Select Committee for Security and Constitutional Development on the 2013/2014 South African Police Service Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plans, Dated 29 May 2013.

The Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development, having considered the Department of Police 2013/14 budget (Vote 18), and strategic and annual performance plans, reports as follows :

1. Introduction

Section 55(2) (a) and (b) of the South African Constitution empowers Parliament to have oversight over the executive. Section 69 (b) empowers the National Council of Provinces to require any institution to report to it. Section 11 (2) (a) of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act No. 68 of 1995) requires the National Commissioner to develop a one-year plan, setting out the priorities and objectives of policing for the following financial year.

Section 27(4) of the Public Finance Management Act stipulates the accounting officer of the relevant department should include measurable objectives for each main division within the department’s vote.

Subparagraph 5.2.2 (d) of Treasury Regulations 2007 stipulates that the Performance Plan must include measurable objectives, expected outcomes, programme outputs, performance indicators and targets in respect of the Department’s programmes. The SAPS presented their Annual Performance Plan (2013/14) and the Strategic Plan (2010-2014) to the Committee on 20 March 2013.

2. Focus Areas

The focus areas for the Department were better management of capital and infrastructure projects, the delivery of sector policing and designating 2013 “the year of the police station”.

There are seven priority outputs within Outcome 3 which states that “South Africans are and feel safe.” These include:

1. Reduced levels of serious crime in particular contact and trio crime

2. Contributing to a more effective criminal justice system

3. Reducing corruption internally and externally

4. Managing and improving perceptions of crime among the population

5. South Africa ’s borders are safely guarded and secured

6. Integrity of identities and status of citizens and residents secured

7. Securing cyberspace

The Department will also endeavour to make more resources available to improve the perception of SAPS, border management and deal with cybercrime more effectively. Other priorities include public order policing through holding protestors to account and gender based violence through the introduction and implementation of the Protection from Harassment Bill. The Department also intends to increase the level of gender equity from 37% to 50% through the Bill on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. The Department’s focus areas for 2013/2014 are also supported by the key Ministerial priorities which focus on:

· Effective transformation of the Police

· Smarter policing and engagement with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) revamp process

· Ensuring that the pace of building new police stations is accelerated

· Accelerate the implementation of the Public Order Policing Policy

· Strengthening Crime Intelligence

· Capacitating the re-established Family, Child and Sexual Offenses and Stock Theft Units

· Focused recruitment of personnel to attract appropriate skills

· Effective training of SAPS personnel

· Command and control, professionalism and accountable policing

· Implementing Rural Safety that embraces all rural communities

3. Budget

The 2013/2014 budget of SAPS has been increased by 7% to R67.9 billion and compensation to employees was one of the biggest cost drivers accounting for R 50, 4 billion and building and fixed structures accounting for 30.5% of the budget. The estimates of national expenditure are laid out in the following table:

Programme	Budget		Nominal Increase / Decrease in 2013/14	Real Increase / Decrease in 2013/14	Nominal Percent change in 2013/14	Real Percent change in 2013/14
R million	2012/13	2013/14
Administration	15 933.3	17 348.6	1 415.3	495.3	8.88 %	3.11 %
Visible Policing	29 515.1	31 539.7	2 024.6	352.0	6.86 %	1.19 %
Detective Services	13 542.9	14 348.5	805.6	44.7	5.95 %	0.33 %
Crime Intelligence	2 590.6	2 715.3	124.7	- 19.3	4.81 %	-0.74 %
Protection and Security Services	1 806.8	1 964.9	158.1	53.9	8.75 %	2.98 %
TOTAL	63 388.7	67 917.0	4 528.3	926.6	7.1 %	1.46 %

Source: ENE, National Treasury 2013

SAPS have five programmes which comprises of Administration, Visible Policing, Detective Services, Crime Intelligence Services and Protection and Security Services. There is a general increase in all the five programmes of the budget areas.

Spending patterns show that the Administration (Programme 1) whose purpose is to develop departmental policy and manage the Department, including the provision of administrative support, showed an 8.9% increase in spending. The Corporate Services programme consists of the Human Resources Development programme which accounted for R1.8 billion, Technology Management Services which accounts for R2.7 billion and supply chain management accounted for R3.8 billion. R312 million was made available for the Integrated Justice System and R0.9 billion for the Criminal Justice System Revamp Initiative. The Department intended to train and declare 88% of learners competent on completion of their training in terms of the Training Provisioning Plan for 2012/13. This figure is intended to increase to 92% for 2013/14 and 98% over the medium term in 2015/16. It also intends to increase and maintain the ratio of staff to vehicles from 3.96:1 in 2011/12 to 4.5:1 in 2013/14.

4. PROGRAMME SPENDING

4.1 Programme 1 (Administration)

The purpose of the Administration programme is to develop departmental policy and manage the Department, including the provision of administrative support, showed an 8.9% increase in spending.

The average spending of this programme for the years under review shows a growth of 8.1% between 2009/10 and 2012/13. The adjusted appropriation for 2012/13 shows an average 6.6% projected growth rate from R12 600 183 billion to R19 283 025 billion in 2015/16. As far as the economic classifications of payments are concerned, 49.3% are for the compensation of employees and 41.7% are allocated to goods and services. Of the 41.7% spent on goods and services, 13.5% was spent on computers while another 12.5% was spent on operating leases. There was a significant increase in the management function displaying and average growth rate of 25.5% over the period under review. The projected expenditure shows the growth projections at 5.7% for the years 2013/14 to 2015/16. The real and projected increase in the management sub-programme is attributed to the increase in the staff establishment of the office of the Secretary of Police. The staff establishment for this programme is expected to grow from 35 713 posts in 2012/13 to 37 705 in 2013/14 and further decrease to 37 410 posts in 2014/15 and 37 114 posts in 2015/16. Notably the use of consultants was increased from R105.4 million to R129.5 million in 2012/13 and is also expected to increase to R141.4 million in 2015/16.

4.2 Programme 2 (Visible Policing)

The purpose of this programme is to enable police stations to institute and preserve safety and security, provide for specialised interventions and policing South Africa ’s borders. This programme is the biggest in the SAPS budget and accounts for 46% of the budget. Budgeted allocations for the various sub-programmes are as follows: Crime Prevention (R24.1billion), Rail Police (R0.7 billion), K 9 Units (R0.6 billion), Mounted police (R0.09 billion), Youth, Children and Gender Based Violence (R0.04 billion), Flying Squad (R0.9 billion), Detained Persons (R0.2 billion).

Spending on this programme increases from R25 696.4 billion in 2012/13 to R27 335 billion in 2013/2014. Allocations for Border Security increases from R1 493.5 billion in 2012/13 to R1.575 in 2013/14. Specialised interventions also increase from R2 325.2 billion to R2 609.1 billion for the same period.

The targets of serious crimes was revised by 2% from 1 789 037 in 2012/13 to 1 718 191 in 2013/14. Similarly, the number of contact crimes was also reduced by between 4-7% from between 598 547-579 845 to 574 605 and 539 253 for the same period. The number of trio crimes was also reduced by between 4-7% between 40 504 and 39 239 for 2012/13 to between 38 884 and 36 492 for 2013/14.

Other targets include increasing rendering a victim friendly service to victims of rape, sexual offences and abuse from 86.6% of stations in 2012/13 to 100% (1131 stations) in 2013/14 and maintaining the figure over the medium term. Lastly, the SAPS intend to increase its confiscation of illicit drugs by 3% and illicit alcohol by 3% during the 2013/14 financial year. The SAPS also provided a new indicator for the implementation of sector policing and intends to implement it at 100% of stations in 2013/14 while maintaining the target during the medium term.

The SAPS also intend to finalise 90% of firearm license applications within 90 days during the 2013/14 year. Public Order Policing will deal with 100% of incidents of public disorder which they will maintain over the medium term period.

4.3 Programme 3 (Detectives)

The purpose of this programme is to enable the investigative work of the SAPS, including providing support to investigators in terms of forensic evidence and the criminal record centre. The Detectives Services has four sub-programmes which include: Crime Investigations, Criminal Record Centre, Forensic Science Laboratories and Specialised Investigations. The bulk of the spending budget in the period of the review has gone to Crime Investigations which accounts for R9 418.6 billion.

The Criminal Record Centre and the Forensic Science Laboratory accounted for R1882.1 billion and R1753.9 billion respectively. In terms of the economic classification of the budget, the compensation of employees accounted for 75.5% of the spending for the period under review, while goods and services accounted for 17.3% of the spend.

Expenditure estimates for this programme is increased from R13 542.9 billion in 2012/13 to R14 384.5 billion in 2013/14. During the 2013/14 the intention is to see the significant resourcing of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), promotion of enhancements of Forensic, Criminal Record Centre and the Information Technology systems.

In addition Stock Theft Units will be strengthened and the tracking capacity for wanted persons will be maintained and expanded. Further resources will be made available to the Child Protection and Sexual Offences units.

4.3.1 Targets for the detection of serious contacted related crime

SAPS intend to increase conviction rates for serious crime by 0.3% to 88, 8% during 2013/14 and maintain that figure over the medium term. The detection rates for contact crimes is expected to increase by 1.5% and maintained at 60% in 2013/14, while detection rates for serious crimes is increased by 1.5% from 55% in 2012/13 to 56,5% in 2013/14. Conviction rates for contact crimes increases by 3.9% from 75, 34% in 2012/13 to 79, 24% in 2013/14. The detection rates for crimes against women (murder, attempted murder, all sexual offences, common assault and assault GBH) 18 years and above is increased by 3% to 75% and maintained over the medium term.

The percentage trial-ready case dockets for crimes against women 18 years and above will increase by 15% in 2013/14 to 39.85%. The targets for crimes children under the age of 18 years reduced from 77, 42% in 2012/13 to 72% in 2013/14 which is maintained throughout the medium term. SAPS propose to increase conviction rates for serious crimes against children by 9.5% from 70, 54% in 2012/13 to 80, 04 % in 2013/14.

SAPs indicated that targets for specialised investigations will show increases of 1.6% on the percentage of court ready dockets for fraud and corruption from 38, 4%in 2012/13 to 40% in 2013/14. The detection rate for serious commercial crime is also increased from 50% in 2012/13 to 52% in 2013/14. The percentage of registered serious organised crime projects investigations is increased by 1% from 31% in 2012/13 to 32% in 2013/14.

The Criminal Record Centre expects to see an improvement on the generation of original conviction reports moving from 82% of previous conviction reports generated within 20 days in 2012/13 to 90% of original previous conviction reports generated in 15 days in 2013/14.

The percentage of case exhibits processed in the Forensic Science Laboratories is also expected to be increased from 92% in 28 working days in 2012/13 to 93% in 28 days in 2013/14.

4.4 Programme 4 (Crime Intelligence)

The purpose of crime intelligence programme is to manage crime intelligence and analyze crime information, provide technical support for investigations and crime prevention operations. The budget expenditure is expected to increase from R1033.7 billion in 2012/13 to R1103.2 billion from in 2013/14. The SAPS intend to increase the number of network operations conducted from 28 145 in 2012/13 to 29 552 in 2013/14. The number of intelligence products are reduced from 353 628 to 258 606 over the same period.

4.5 Programme 5 (Protection and Security Services)

The purpose of the programme is to provide protection and security service to all identified dignitaries and government interests. The budget is creased from R1 806.8 billion in 2012/13 to R1 964.9 billion in 2013/14. The targets remain the same for the 2013/14 financial year with 100% of protection provided without security breaches. A target of 50% of national key points and strategic installations audited will remain in place over the medium term.

5. Observations and comments

The Committee noted that the Auditor General report on the Department’s use of consultants were highly problematic and did not assist with the vision of reducing corruption in the Department. According to the AG, up to R4 billion rand was spent on consultants and this was indicative of the problems in SAPS that want to fight corruption. The SAPS management was told to clean up the corruption within the Department.

The Committee pointed out that SAPS paid out an amount of R341 million of a R412 million contract to install a firearm control system. To date, the firearm control system was never and has not been implemented.

As far as infrastructure was concerned, the Committee questioned why the SAPS persist with renting accommodation with high rental agreements when they were clearly in a position to build their own offices. It was pointed out that there is still no police station in Paballelo in the Northern Cape while SAPS makes use of local clinic. SAPS were to indicate what criteria was used to build police stations.

There have been a number of incidents relating to police brutality and service delivery that have been clear indicators of police training and discipline not being up to scratch. Police members have been charged with the death of protestor such as Andries Tatane , shooting miners at Marikana and the dragging of taxi driver behind a police vehicle to his death in Daveyton . These incidents point to clear gaps in the implementation of police regulations and standing orders when it comes to in dealing with crowds and individual arrests. The Committee also raised questions about the reason for the police having become so brutal in the last few years.

The levels of brutality are an indicator that there was a lack of professionalism within the ranks of the organisation. Members of the public has also been shown disrespect by some SAPS members as they have treated some people with complete disrespect and affronted their dignity. Such treatment by members of SAPS is an indicator that discipline has become a problem in the institution. It was noted that there were some people that clearly did not belong within the ranks of the South African Police Service.

The Committee was also unhappy with the Rural Safety Plan and its implementation in KwaZulu Natal as they were not providing a quality service in the Province. The Committee also noted that the fleet management system and the vehicles was not well managed and with over 41 000 vehicles in the Department, SAPS must provide a better maintenance management plan for the vehicles.

6. Recommendations

1. SAPS Supply Chain Management should provide a plan for managing consultants in view of the Auditor General Report on the use and management of consultants.

2. The Department should consider building their own police stations and stop hiring buildings. This will cut down hiring costs and reduce opportunities for corruption.

3. SAPS must provide a plan for the reduction of corruption in SAPS because it is clear that this is major problem within the organisation, before it begins to deal with corruption outside the organisation.

4. The Department must develop a plan to reduce the level of escapes from station cells.

5. The brutality of SAPS members towards the public is unacceptable. Student police constables are a problem in that they don’t treat people with respect and dignity. The training plan of SAPS members in this respect must be revised to incorporate training in professionalism, human dignity and respect towards members of the public.

6. The Department must tighten the management of the Supply Management System and deal with consultants who do not deliver the products they are meant to.

7. The department must issue a breakdown of all UN deployments, personnel and the manner in which they are deployed and to which country they have been deployed.

8. Rural Safety and Stock theft Units in KwaZulu Natal are not providing a quality service. SAPS to provide policy that informs their approach as syndicates are operating, while SAPS charge and beat people

9. SAPS vehicle fleet is in a bad state as a result of bad management of resources. SAPS must provide an updated fleet management plan and show how they will reduce the bad management of material resources.

10. The gender balance in SAPS needs to be corrected. SAPS must provide a plan how they will correct gender equity and representivity within the department.

Report to be considered