The Gauteng government will increase its budget to fight crime in the province, premier Panyaza Lesufi said during his maiden State of the Province Address (Sopa) at the Johannesburg City Hall on Monday evening.
What was previously set at R750-million will now be a multi-billion rand budget for a period of three years starting from April.
“Let me assure you, we will talk less and do more. We are getting Gauteng back to work. Today, let’s openly admit, our province is a home of heartless and merciless criminals. They do as they wish,” said the premier.
“If this situation is left unattended, it will be the end for all of us. To this end, we are increasing our budget of fighting crime from R750-million to multi-billion rand in the next three years.”
According to the premier, among other efforts, the budget will be allocated to the connection of CCTV cameras in townships, suburbs, business hubs, and schools, as well as e-panic buttons that will be linked to law-enforcement agencies, CCTVs, and an integrated command centre.
He said the budget will also be allocated to purchasing two helicopters that will be unveiled at the start of the next financial year. Four more will be added during the 2023/2024 financial year.
“The private security industry has pledged to add theirs as well to the pool of helicopters that will patrol our skies.”
Over 180 state-of-the-art drones have also been procured to ensure that police officials “are not sacrificial lambs in the battle with criminals”.
According to Lesufi, these drones are equipped with technology that can capture the direction of a bullet and where it is coming from.
His government has also procured 400 new police cars to ensure that from May, all communities have 24-hour patrol cars equipped with proper and necessary gadgets.
He explained: “Six-thousands [6 000] young men and women have been recruited to monitor and police Gauteng 24/7, they will invade our streets from May 1 2023.
“The almost 10 000 private security companies have agreed to combine their resources with ours under a joint command structure so that we can fight crime together in our province.”
Lesufi said in order to strengthen the fight against crime, the provincial government will also need to revamp laws regulating the registration of cars, because according to the premier, vehicles are a denominator in violent crimes, the elimination of illegal firearms, and the need to migrate the province to use less cash in business transactions.
“The current number plates system is running out of numeric and letters. We want to take advantage of this situation to introduce new, hard-to-copy and tamper number plates.”
He also confirmed that a government gazette on new security features has been published for public comment. Among other features, according to the premier, the gazette covers the management of the abuse of temporary number plates.
He said his government has issued instructions to law-enforcement agencies to pull off people who drive cars with no number plates, as well as those driving with fraudulent temporary permits.
The premier further noted that the abuse of police resources and blue lights is on the rise, saying a “special unit” is being assembled in this regard.
“Those with illegal guns are now playing God. They decide who lives and who dies. Together with the private security industry, we have found a solution that will assist in tracking stolen guns and locate them wherever they are in our country.
“We will firstly migrate our law-enforcement agencies’ guns in this system, then members of the public.
“To contribute to our desire to use less cash in business transactions in our province, we urge our retailers and other businesses to join the hospitality industry in eliminating cash transactions. If we all do so, we will see less business robberies, cash heists, and ATM bombings.”
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