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Master Thesis
submitted within the UNIGIS MSc programme at the Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS
University of Salzburg
A Spatial Analysis of Crime Incidents in the Durban Central Business District, eThekwini
Municipality, South Africa
by
Mr. Onke Mconi Student 40485
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of
Master of Science in (Geographic Information Science & Systems) – MSc (GISc)
Advisor:
Mr. Werner Olivier Durban 2015
2 ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to identify the current status of crime incidents in the Durban Central Business District. The aim was to examine a meaningful spatial dependence process in the development of these incidents, through the application and integration of Geographic Information Systems.
Qualitative research methodology was applied, and interviews conducted with the Crime Mapping and Analysis Project of the Durban Metropolitan Police Service and the South African Police Service.
The body of work is information-based. The study looks to consume spatial tools to harvest the geographic aspect of events in time and space for the creation of actionable intelligence. The eThekwini Municipality is concerned with the growing threat of crime and violence and its impact on the safety and security of its citizens which is posing a threat to democracy in South Africa.
South Africa is, unfortunately, a country where many violent crimes occur, however, crime in South Africa is a complex issue. Due to the different factors of the high level of violence in the country, a response and the implementation thereof is complex. This study affirms that crime is a concern of the South African government.
3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
God is great! Father, thank You for the blessing of Your favor.
I would like to thank Mrs. Ann Olivier for your guidance and support; and Mr. Werner Olivier for your contribution.
My utmost appreciation to Mr. Chris Overall, this thesis would not have been a success without your assistance.
Finally, a special word of thanks to my mother for your encouragement.
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Copyright 2015 Onke Mconi
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
6 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE CHAPTERS
LIST OF FIGURES ... 8
LIST OF TABLES ... 9
GLOSSARY OF TERMS ... 10
1. INTRODUCTION ... 13
1.1. MOTIVATION ... 13
1.2. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION ... 18
1.3. APPROACH ... 22
1.3.1. THEORY ... 24
1.3.2. METHODS ... 26
1.3.3. STUDY AREA: DURBAN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ... 29
1.3.4. ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY: SAFER CITY ... 33
1.4. EXPECTED RESULTS ... 35
1.5. INTENDED AUDIENCE ... 36
1.5.1. MINISTRY OF POLICE ... 36
1.5.2. SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE ... 37
1.5.3. MUNICIPAL POLICE SERVICES ... 38
1.5.4. INSTITUTE OF SECURITY STUDIES ... 40
1.6. THESIS STRUCTURE ... 43
1.7. CONCLUSION ... 44
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ... 47
2.1. INTRODUCTION ... 47
2.2. CRIME PREVENTION ... 49
2.3. THE NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY OF 1996 .. 51
2.4. THE 1998 WHITE PAPER ON SAFETY AND SECURITY ... 54
2.5. THE NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY OF 2000 .. 58
2.6. PUBLIC VIDEO SURVEILLANCE ... 59
2.7. CONCLUSION ... 61
3. APPROACH ... 63
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3.1. INTRODUCTION ... 63
3.2. THEORATICAL FOUNDATION ... 64
3.2.1. CRIME HOT SPOT ... 64
3.2.2. HOT SPOT POLICING ... 69
3.3. METHODS APPLIED ... 72
3.3.1. DATA COLLECTION ... 73
3.4. TOOLS ... 74
3.4.1. CCTV MONITORING ... 74
3.5. TEST AREA/TEST DATASET ... 78
3.6. CONCLUSION ... 93
4. PROJECT ... 95
4.1. INTRODUCTION ... 95
4.2. CONCEPT ... 98
4.3. IMPLEMENTATION ... 100
4.4. CONCLUSION ... 103
5. CRIME SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA ... 105
5.1. INTRODUCTION ... 105
5.2. DISSCUSION ... 106
5.3. CONCLUSION ... 110
REFERENCES ... 114
8 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Why is South Africa such a violent society? ... 16
Figure 2: SAPS CAS Blocks, Central Durban ... 28
Figure 3: Study Area: Durban CBD, eThekwini Municipality ... 32
Figure 4: Thesis structure ... 43
Figure 5: ITRUMP, eThekwini Municipality ... 68
Figure 6: Shooting at Bedford Centre ... 97
9 LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: All Crime for the month of January 2012 ... 82
Table 2: All Crime for the month of February 2012 ... 83
Table 3: All Crime for the month of April 2012 ... 85
Table 4: All Crime for the month of May 2012 ... 86
Table 5: All Crime for the month of June 2012 ... 88
Table 6: All Crime for the month of July 2012 ... 89
Table 7: All Crime for the month of September 2012 ... 91
Table 8: All Crime for the month of October 2012 ... 92
10 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ISS Institute for Security Studies SAPS South African Police Service GIS Geographic Information Systems
ESRI Environmental Systems Research Institute GISc Geographic Information Science
IT Information Technology
DMPS Durban Metropolitan Police Service DMP Durban Metropolitan Police
CBD Central Business District ABM Area Base Management CAS Crime Administration System CJS Criminal Justice System CSP Civilian Secretariat for Police
IPID Independent Police Investigative Directorate MPS Municipal Police Service
RTMC Road Traffic Management Corporation
AARTO Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences IDASA Institute for Democracy in Africa
MK Umkhonto we Sizwe
11 ANC African National Congress IDP Institute for Defense Policy
NCPS National Crime Prevention Strategy NCCS National Crime Combating Strategy ESRI Environmental Systems Research Institute CPF Community Police Forums
ISS Integrated Justice System
JCPS Justice Crime Prevention and Security CRC Criminal Record Centre
CIAC Crime Information Analysis Centre
ITRUMP Inner Thekwini Renewal and Urban Management Program GGP Gross Geographic Product
GDP Gross Domestic Product CCTV Closed-circuit television
PA Public Address
UIP Urban Improvement Precincts NPA National Prosecuting Authority NIA National Intelligence Agency UMZ Urban Management Zone BAC Business Against Crime
RIMS Road Incident Management Systems INK Inanda Ntuzuma Kwamashu
12 CGRI Consumer Goods Risk Initiative JCPS Justice Crime Prevention and Security NIJ National Institute of Justice
SMS Short Message Service GBH Grievous Bodily Harm
FIFA Federation Internationale de Football Association IPT Independent Projects Trust
13 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION 1.1. MOTIVATION
Crime is a key strategic concern of the South African government. Crime is an event in time and space of which the geographic aspect of a crime is often overlooked in favour of the most dramatic nature of the crime in question (Chris Overall, 2008). South Africa is, unfortunately, a country where many violent crimes occur, however, crime in South Africa is a complex issue. President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma declared before Parliament on the 7th of March 2013 that, “South Africa is not a violent country; it is certain people in our country who are violent. By and large, we are not; we are peace- loving people.” In February 2007, the Centre for the Study of Violence and
Reconciliation was contracted by the South African government to carry out a study on the nature of crime in South Africa. Babara Holtmann and Carmen Domingo-Swarts (2010) argue that “crime is a complex phenomenon and demands a more complex analysis and response.” The study concluded that the country is exposed to high levels of violence as a result of different factors. The various factors include (The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, 2010):
1. A problem of armed violence linked to a subculture of violence and criminality 2. Inequality, poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and marginalisation
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3. Vulnerability of young people linked to inadequate child rearing and poor youth socialisation
4. Perceptions and values related to violence and crime 5. Reliance on the criminal justice system
Senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Dr Johan Burger (2010) explains,
There are extremely high rates of unemployment in some areas. All of this leads to a large element of frustration. Often this is the thing that sparks violence. The gap between rich and poor is still widening, and it leads to relative deprivation.
The people in very poor communities see wealth. It is not just a gap; it is a visible gap. The situation is aggravated by poor service delivery. Many of our
municipalities are in complete disarray, complete dysfunction. Disarray leads to dissatisfaction. People protest sometimes very violently.
Since achieving democracy in 1994, South Africa has scored much success in consolidating its approach towards the creation of a safe and secure environment for its inhabitants. The amalgamation of the eleven policing agencies constituted under
apartheid was the starting point for building legitimacy and trust in the newly established South African Police Service (SAPS) (Green Paper on Policing, 2013). The mandate that the Constitution of South Africa (1996) bestows on the SAPS to police the country is undoubtedly a key element of the Government and affects every aspect of society. It is not an easy mandate to fulfil. South Africa is essentially a young country that is still
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coming to terms with the difficulties of the past, the constraints of the present and the challenges of the future (SAPS Strategic Management, 2010). In the global context, Law Enforcement¹ which constitutes a part of the Police Force and/or Policing Activity often suffers from limited resources. There are many challenges facing the police in South Africa. Provincial legislators in South Africa have made known that a lack of sufficient resources has resulted in an ineffective and demoralised SAPS. The SAPS has
approximately 160 000 (as at October 2013) functional armed officials. 1 448 of these officials have criminal records for serious crimes including murder and rape. Another 8 000 have criminal records for other offences including driving under the influence of alcohol. An additional 9 000 are facing criminal charges (Dr Johan Burger, 2013).
Buildings in which police stations are housed were not designed to be police stations.
Thus, the holding facilities are inadequate or non-existent. Some police stations in South Africa are functioning without computers, and some stations are functioning without water or electricity. Felicity Harrison (2002) articulates that, “It should be made known that the current situation in the SAPS is not entirely of the making of the police service.”
Research indicates that SAPS has enough good and dedicated police officers, along with additional resources to execute its mandate.
1. In this work, the use of the term Law Enforcement refers to Policing and/or Policing Activity
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There are too many persistent, systematic weaknesses in the police service. There are too many senior managers at national and provincial level who are unable to do their jobs, inadequate station command and control, poor disciple and inadequate systems for recognising and rewarding excellence at station level (Dr Johan Burger, 2013).
Figure 1: Why is South Africa such a violent society? (Sean Jacobs, 2013)
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Geographic information systems (GIS) are widely used in urban police agencies in developed countries. GIS technology can provide the geographic advantage for policing by turning data into actionable knowledge. Knowledge is a pre-condition to understand events and dynamics in an area; and to identify risk factors including businesses,
buildings or other locations that can draw crime (www.esri.com, 2013). The collaboration that took place in 1986 between the Department of Geography and the Criminal Justice Division at the University of Cincinnati represents one of the leading efforts in initiating the research in this area. GIS technology allows people to compare locations of interest to discover how they relate to each other and to give an understanding of the locations of interest and what is occurring around them. GIS can use any information that includes the location. Many different types of information can be compared and contrasted using GIS.
GIS provides an information-based method supporting all roles and aspects of law enforcement. Police can use GIS solutions to (ESRI, retrieved 2015):
• Determine optimal locations for deploying resources;
• Analyse the dynamics of an incident in progress to make informed decisions and operational adjustments;
• Identify and examine suspicious activity and threats;
• Enhance officer safety and effectiveness by providing information and awareness of repeat incidents;
• Target repeat emergency call locations;
• Perform resource analysis and allocation;
• Develop a crime scene log to ensure the integrity of an investigation; and
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• Exchange information with a neighbouring jurisdiction or a jurisdiction half a world away.
1.2. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
Crime can refer to a broad range of activities, which include violent personal offences;
property crimes; organized crimes and political crimes. Van der Walt, Cronje and Smith as cited by Van Velzen (1998) distinguish between crime defined in a juridical and a non- juridical sense.
Crime can be defined as a contravention of the law, to which a punishment is attached and imposed by the state. Simply put, crime is an act forbidden by law and if discovered, is likely to be punished.
Van der Walt et al. define crime in a non-juridical sense as an anti-social act entailing a threat to, and a breach or violation of the stability and security of a community and its residents.
Crime is a universal social phenomenon in that it threatens the safety and security of people, their property, their sense of wellbeing, social order and most importantly, it reduces people’s quality of life. If the quality of life experienced by an individual and the community is affected by crime, then crime itself can be viewed as a social problem (Ntuli, 1998). GIS supports various spatial analysis functions (Mark R. et al., 2003), which consists of the following:
1. View and query of classification of and measurement of spatial data 2. Overlay operations that involve adding, removing or reordering map layers
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3. Neighbourhood operations that select features contained within buffer zones generated around points, lines and areas
4. Network analysis functions such as shortest route determination.
The ESRI White Paper titled: GIS for Law Enforcement describes GIS as a Platform for Law Enforcement (ESRI, 2012) as the following:
Esri GIS provides a complete platform that connects an entire organization. It allows departments to share and distribute intelligence and knowledge through workflows for more efficient communication, collaboration and coordination.
Specialized units, such as crime analysis, investigations, gangs and narcotics, can be linked together using a single GIS framework. Each can access, update, share and analyse the same datasets that had previously been maintained independently.
GIS also links law enforcement organizations and the community.
GIS is becoming essential to understanding what is happening and what will happen in geographic space (ESRI, 2015). It is the go-to technology for making a better decision about a location. Everything managed by law enforcement has an inherent geographical location. The technology supplies capabilities that support all facets of the diverse operational demands of the police.
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Spencer Chainey and Jerry Ratcliffe (2005) note that “crime mapping can play a significant role in the policing and crime reduction process. It can also act as an important mechanism in a more pivotal preliminary stage, that of preventing crime by helping in the design of initiatives that are successful in tackling a crime problem.” Crime mapping is a term that has been used to refer research analysis using GIS in law enforcement setting however, using a GIS to analyse crime is not just the act of placing incidents on a map but also of analysis (Rachel Boba, 2001). Rachel Boba (2001) defines “crime analysis mapping” as:
The process of using a geographic information system in combination with crime analysis techniques to focus on the spatial context of criminal and other law enforcement activity.
Peter A. Roerson and A. Stewart Fotheringham (2000) write,
From a GIS perspective, there is an increasing demand for systems that ‘do something’ other than display and organize data. From the spatial analytical perspective, there are advantages to linking statistical methods and mathematical models to the database and display capabilities of a GIS. Although the GIS may not be necessary for spatial analysis, it can facilitate such analysis and may even provide insights that would otherwise be missed.
The power of mapping allows the spatial visualization of the spatial patterns and trends of data. In addition to the visualization of spatial patterns, the tool translates existing
patterns into objective and measurable considerations. GIS contributes towards proactive
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policing, it allows law enforcement to make knowledgeable, critical decisions and to carry out informed responses. GIS is the go-to technology for better decision making.
GIS makes understanding the spatial distribution of data from occurrences that occur in space stress-free and translates the patterns into objective concerns. Spatial distributions of occurrences are part of the spatial analysis of geographical data. Longley, Goodchild, Maguire and Rhind (2005) define the term “spatial analysis” as follows:
“Spatial analysis is the process by which we turn raw data into useful information, in pursuit of scientific discovery, or more efficient decision making. Spatial analysis is in many ways the crux of GIS because it includes all of the
transformations, manipulations and methods that can be applied to geographic data to add value to them, to support decisions and to reveal patterns and anomalies that are not immediately obvious.”
Camara, Monteiro, Fucks and Carvalho (retrieved 2015) write, “The emphasis of Spatial Analysis is to measure properties and relationships, taking into account the spatial localization of the phenomenon under study in a direct way. That is, the central idea is to incorporate space into the analysis.”
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The mission of this work is simplified to a particular question, intended to be answered through this research. The specific question is as follows:
Through the application and integration of Geographic Information Systems, can the current status of incidents of crime patterns be identified and can a further meaningful spatial dependence process in the development of these incidents of crime be examined?
1.3. APPROACH
The central focus and common cause of law enforcement agencies, such as the SAPS;
the Durban Metropolitan Police Service (DMPS) and other partners, such as Security Solutions Companies and Neighbourhood Crime Watch Forums is crime. Law enforcement agencies and other partners address other issues in addition to crime and thus collect different types of information which can be translated into useful data. The focus of this thesis is to research in a systematic manner reported incidents of crime in the Durban Central Business District (CBD). The work will review information related to the nature of the incidents and any known offender information and victims of crime. Every incident of crime is related to a location. This work will utilise GIS technology to take advantage of key characteristics in the systematic study of crime, these are socio- demographic information and the spatial and temporal nature of incidents of crime. The location where crime related activities occur and the relationship of surrounding places to one another is a significant factor (Rachel Boba, 2005). The thesis will look into the crime reporting process of crime incidents and apply formal analytical and statistical techniques to collected crime data. When an individual has been a victim of a crime, they
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have to report the crime at the nearest police station (from which the incident took place).
In an emergency, the number 10111 can be used. Reporting a crime is free, all the necessary documentation will be completed by a police official. The service is provided to all victims of crime. A case docket is opened, and the crime will be investigated
(SAPS, retrieved 2015). This work will examine the crime reporting process and illustrate that it has flaws. This thesis will provide an analysis of reported crime incidents in
Durban Central. The analysis will help evaluate the spatial pattern of these reported incidents of crime. To perform crime analysis and mapping, spatial statistics tools will be applied and utilised. This research is not in isolation but forms a part of a whole. It intends to assist law enforcement agencies and partners to render crime incidents not susceptible of making a contest carried on by force of arms, rather to the destruction of inferior elements in the community. The framework will depict incident locations of criminal activities with the purpose of making known possible underlying factors of the incidents. The study will require an understanding of the social mechanisms of the study area. The social mechanisms play a crucial role in the process of helping to identify some of the root causes or sources of criminal activities. Social mechanisms assist in breaking down the complex social problem of crime. The thesis visualises to highlight the need to improve critical decision making in a changing environment. Every incident of crime is related to a location. GIS can help leverage the location aspect of the data to analyse and build solutions to the problems (ESRI, retrieved 2015). Data capturing of a geographic location where an incident of crime has taken place is the starting point. Associated with the location is a comprehensive description of the incident. A description of the incident
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includes the type of offence incident; time factors (of the incident); property loss description, target descriptions; suspect information and physical description (if any).
1.3.1. THEORY
Peter Kitchen (2013) is of the opinion that research in urban geography and other disciplines has demonstrated that extensive spatial variability exists within urban centers with respect to social status and it is clear that crime is not distributed evenly across a city. Most crime incidents have an inherently geographic quality. Ratcliffe (2004) clarifies, for at least the last century police officers have stuck pins into paper maps displayed on walls, where each pin represented a crime location. In some places this technologically unsophisticated method of mapping crime continues. In the 1980s, researchers seized upon the idea of representing crime visually, in a way that would be accessible and useful, this was the idea of crime mapping. Unfortunately, many law enforcement agencies have yet to take advantage of GIS (Arthur Getis et al., 2000).
Understanding why an incident of crime happens where it does can offer vital
intelligence that contributes to dealing with and preventing crime. This spatial aspect of crime incidents needs to be understood, developed and used to the greatest advantage.
Focusing attention on the geographic aspect of crime incidents has the potential to (Crime Mapping: Improving Performance, 2005):
• Identify why incidents may have occurred at a location
• Identifying emerging neighborhood issues
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• Profile the characteristics of areas and how these contribute to the causes of crime incidents
• Analyze how offenders have travelled to the incident location
• Generate intelligent products
• Information sharing with partnerships
• Reassure the public
Due to poor socio, political, economic and environmental conditions the rate of crime incidents is increasing. The distribution of incident is not geographically random since incidents are a human phenomenon. For incidents to occur, offenders and victims are required to exist at the same location and time. Several factors, including the lure of potential targets and simple geographic convenience for an offender, influence where people choose to break the law (E. Akpinar and N. Usul, 2013). Pinpointing the location of an incident and ensuring that it is identified with minimal ambiguity is vital to generate intelligence-led crime reduction. Crime mapping achieved through GIS has a significant role in reducing crime and improving the effectiveness of police (E. Akpinar and N. Usul, 2013). Taking advantage of the spatial aspect affords to understand where incidents of crime occur and helps to identify where the density of incidents is high. According to Lab (2000), it is common practice for the police to identify locations and times that are more prone to criminal activity. GIS technology supports a broad variety of problem solving and spatial decision-making applications in crime and crime locations (Saddler, 1999).
26 1.3.2. METHODS
In 2005, the DMPS set out on a project of using and integrating GIS technology into policing and crime prevention. Other stakeholders involved in this project include the Area Base Management (ABM) Cluster of eThekwini Municipality and the SAPS. This thesis is to use that as a basis to map and analyze reported incidents of crime, to enhance the capacity of policing; and to develop more intelligent systems and decision-making tools. The thesis will attempt to build upon the existing body of knowledge, introducing and exposing techniques to show the value of GIS for managing information and data. A fundamental action in this thesis is to identify a pilot study. A pilot study is to be
conducted in the Central Business District (CBD) of the Metropolis of eThekwini Municipality². Using desktop GIS software incidents of crime are digitized³ at their geographic location.
² eThekkwini Municipality is a metropolis that includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns. It is one of eleven districts of the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
³ Digitizingis the process of converting the geographic features on an analog map into digital format using a digitizer, which is connected to a computer.
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The eThekwini Municipality’s base data, together with the digital orthophotography are used as the backdrop. The base data layers include the address points; the roads and the approved cadaster. The Crime Administration System (CAS)4 block layer, is
superimposed on the base data so as to isolate in which CAS block incidents occur. The process of mapping and analyzing the incidents integrates information about the fact, the underlying base data, the digital orthophotography and additional analysis software. Each crime incident has a case docket that holds information about the incident. The captured incident location is fed with this information.
4Crime Administration System is SAPS’s official register of reported crimes
28 Figure 2: SAPS CAS Blocks, Central Durban
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1.3.3. STUDY AREA: DURBAN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The test area identified for this project is the Durban CBD. The apartheid system of separate land use meant the business hub was not designed to accommodate residential services and facilities. The apartheid city planning of the Durban CBD still presents structural obstacles that dictate who lives and works in the CBD (Bouillon, A, 2000). Durban was subject to
restructuring of local government with the end of apartheid in 1994. The eThekwini Municipality that incorporates neighbouring towns was formed. eThekwini is a Zulu word derived from itheku (Zulu), which means ‘bay’ or ‘lagoon’ (www.durban.gov.za, 2011). The Municipality has a population of approximately 3.5 million, with a land area of 2 292 square kilometres. It is rich in culture and is fairly ethnically diverse. The Zulu form the largest single ethnic group, with a large number of people of British descent and has the densest Indian population than any other city outside India. The Municipality has a strong manufacturing, tourism, transportation, finance and government sectors. Durban’s coastal location and large port give it a comparative advantage over many other centres in South Africa for export (www.durban.gov.za, 2011).
After 1994, the demand for housing stock grew dramatically as the CBD offered an attractive pricing range and proximity to work, the business district and services for black professionals and office workers. This influx of people in post-apartheid South Africa reshaped the CBD. Bouillon, A (2000) explicates; the CBD moved to more of a hub for entrepreneurial
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small business rather than the old stalwarts of financial and legal houses found before 1994.
The CBD has undergone a transformation in terms of who lives and works in the city space.
Bouillon, A (2000) gives further details, the end of apartheid opened up opportunities for all people to move into the city. The income brackets of residents on the surface appear to have declined. There has been an increase in unemployment and micro-enterprises. The informal sector is the main generator of jobs but is largely ‘survivalist’ in nature. Individuals are pushed into this activity as they find themselves unable to get formal employment rather than pulled by its attractions (Warwick Junction Report. 2005). These trends associated with urban decay leading to negative perceptions of the city and the exodus of large-scale commerce to the suburbs. The CBD offers a complex class mix. It has undergone rapid demographic, social and economic change. The CBD has seen some buildings dilapidated and certain areas within the CBD becoming stigmatised as ‘no-go zones’ for potential flat owners and tenants. Urban decay of the high rise buildings has given birth to ‘bad buildings’. Buildings that have been
abandoned by their owners. The buildings are derelict or in a deplorable state. They are invaded by crime lords and squatters; overcrowded and the seat of criminal activities and/or contravened by-laws and other legislation and classified as Bad Buildings (Neil Fraser, 2013).
Owners of bad buildings are customarily so heavily in debt to the Municipality (in arrears in rates and service charges) that simply abandoning them was an easier way out. Bad buildings are rundown buildings, at times with no running water and electricity. These buildings occupied by people that are trying to make ends meet are overcrowded. The majority of the occupants of these buildings are foreign nationals, from diverse African countries. These buildings are associated with drug manufacturing; distribution and use and other activities that
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may result due to the consequences of drugs, such as prostitution and crime. Some of these buildings are known to be gathering places for street children. These buildings have earned notoriety as dangerous places. The perception led to the unfortunate effect of creating discriminations against foreign nationals. These new discriminations have materialized into violent acts of xenophobic attacks that have resulted in casualties and death. Agreements with educational institutes to house students have been seen as favourable in many residential buildings in the city as rent is paid up front. The City has seen a change in the social and
economic factors. Central Durban has attained a reputation of been crime ridden. The rise in the opening of bars and taverns and urban decay are some factors that contribute towards crime. In some residential buildings, the levies are not paid by many residents and maintenance is not taking place.
32 Figure 3: Study Area: Durban CBD, eThekwini Municipality
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1.3.4. ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY: SAFER CITY
The eThekwini Municipality has followed the national government legislation, which sets out the framework within which the Council must operate. This package provides for a developmental local government whose core business is to respond to socio-economic challenges in strategic and developmental ways. The eThekwini Safer City Strategy 2013-2018 outlines, the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) spells out the Municipality’s strategic plan of action for the next five years and includes the Safer City Plan. The content of the final version of the IDP is focused, with clear targets, deliverables and time frames. The eThekwini Municipality is concerned with the growing threat of crime and violence and its impact on the safety and security of its citizens which is posing a threat to democracy in South Africa. In 2000, the municipality adopted a Durban Safer City Strategy, which is a document that was to see the municipality implementing an integrated Safety Plan to reduce crime and violence. The mandate for the adoption of such a community safety strategy is supported by the following documents (eThekwini Safer City Strategy 2013-2018):
• South African Constitution of 1996
• White Paper on Safety and Security, 1996
• Children’s Act of 2005
• Liquor Act
• Sexual Offences Act, Human Trafficking
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• National Building Regulations
• National Crime Prevention Strategy of 1996, revised in 1999
• South African Police Act, 1995
• White Paper on Local Government Act, 1998
• eThekwini Municipality Plan 4 of Integrated Development Plan (IDP), 1999 revised annually
• eThekwini Municipality Mayor’s Policy Statement of 1999
• Municipal By-Laws
• Business Licensing Act
• Traffic Ordinance
• Town Planning Ordinance Act
• Planning and Development
Reducing crime and building safer communities is a priority for every citizen. To make this happen, community safety must be initiated at the community level (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2000). Local government is better placed for that. The eThekwini Safer Cities Strategic Plan 2013-2018 set forth, the ingredients for successful community safety have become evident and include preventative, inclusive and multifaceted
approaches, which address the inequalities that contribute to high crime rates. Best practices include dealing with crime and security issues through an integrated approach, one that is holistic, geographically specific and requires local ownership. The role of the eThekwini Municipality Safer Cities Strategy is to both design and oversee the
implementation of community safety initiatives. This initiative employs a preventative,
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inclusive, multi-agency approach and addresses some of the inequalities that contribute to high crime rates.
1.4. EXPECTED RESULTS
This work as an ideational structure seeks to consume spatial tools to help leverage location-based data to create actionable intelligence. The information-based systems that process and interpret information; and the application of GIS techniques prepare and produce a platform of analysis. The analysis is envisaged to introduce and allow for a new strategic methodology of utilizing municipal resources in law enforcement. The body of work is information-based. The capturing of incidents is not interactive with the victim(s) of the incident of concern. When a person has been a victim of a crime, the individual is to go to the nearest police station (from which the incident took place) to report the crime incident. A crime reporting process commences. This work will research this process, showing that this process is flawed. The crime reporting process is the underlying information that feeds and talks to the information-based crime incident management tool, crime statistics, national crime prevention strategies and other crime related programmes and work. Video surveillance solutions play a significant role in deterring and helping solve crime by monitoring city streets and transit systems and providing valuable evidence for prosecution (Eric Fullerton, Soren E. Kannov, 2007).
The use and implementation of video surveillance in CBDs for the purpose of crime control and/or prevention have been a relatively new intervention within the broader
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context of law enforcement or crime prevention programmes in South Africa. The research will be conducted in the field of public video surveillance (video surveillance outside of commercial and business or private residence). Video surveillance is a systematic approach to counter threats to the safety of the public and not something that provides mirth or amusement.
1.5. INTENDED AUDIENCE 1.5.1. MINISTRY OF POLICE
A safe and secure environment is critical to the success of all government
programmes. Since the inception of democracy in South Africa, the Minister of Police was assigned authority for law enforcement services. An immediate challenge post-1994 was to reform the policing apparatus into an institution of governance while also dealing with the pressing need to address spiralling crime rates (Green Paper of Policing, 2013).
Ensuring the well-being of all citizens is partly achieved through the establishment of a transformed, accountable and accessible Criminal Justice System (CJS). Prominent attributes or aspects of the Minister of Police responsibility include determining the national policing policy and providing civilian oversight. The Minister of Police is
accountable to Cabinet and Parliament; entities reporting to the Minister are the following (Police, Defence and Intelligence, 2011):
• Civilian Secretariat for Police (CSP)
• Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)
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• SAPS
• Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority.
1.5.2. SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) is the supreme law of the land: “law or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid”. The new constitutional order is buttressed by the Bill of Rights. The Bill is the cornerstone of our nascent democracy, which “enshrines the right of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom” (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996). The SAPS was established by the provisions of Section 205 of the Constitution of South Africa. The objects of the police service are to prevent, combat and investigate the crime. The Police are to maintain public order; to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, and to uphold and enforce the law (Constitution of South Africa, 1996). The Accounting Officer for the SAPS is the National Commissioner, who is appointed by the President of the country. The National Commissioner answers directly to the Minister of Police. The Green Paper of Policing (2013) explicates,
The police have to deal with increasing levels and the growth of crime. Policing in democratic societies operates in a space between their constitutional framework and the legal framework that defines how they must operate. The police must understand their role and function in society to ensure an efficient service. Police
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action must always be motivated by sound knowledge of police purpose and involve the constant application of the law.
1.5.3. MUNICIPAL POLICE SERVICES
In 1998, the South African Police Service Act of 1995 was amended to provide a framework for the establishment, functions and control of Municipal Police Services (MPS). In large South African cities, municipalities are often referred to as ‘metropolitan councils’, in these cities municipal police are called ‘Metro police’. The South African Police Service Amendment Act (1998) states, any municipality, may apply to the member of the Executive Council for the establishment of a municipal police service for its area of jurisdiction. The process required for establishing a Municipal Police Service is complex, lengthy and costly. The application is subject to conditions laid down in the Act; these include the following (South African Police Service Amendment Act, 1998):
• The municipality has the resources at its disposal to provide for a municipal police service that complies with national standards on a 24-hour basis;
• Proper provision has been made to ensure civilian supervision of the municipal police service by the municipality; and
• The establishment of the municipal police service will improve effective policing in that part of the province.
The Executive Council may approve the application only after a set of circumstances is fulfilled, circumstances such as (South African Police Service Amendment Act, 1998):
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• Consultation with the National Commissioner;
• The approval of the Executive Council responsible for local government, finance, transport and traffic matters.
The establishment of a municipal police service shall not derogate from the functions of the Service or the powers and duties of a member in terms of any law. All expenditure incurred by or in connection with the establishment, maintenance and functioning of a municipal police service shall be for the account of the municipality in question.
The Amendment Act (1998) refers to two key law enforcement roles of the MPS:
1. Enforcement of traffic laws and regulations
The main instruments are the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Act and the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act. The RTMC mainly regulates the management and human resource practices in the road traffic service. AARTO is concerned with the actual enforcement and adjudication of road traffic rules and the adjudication thereof (Janine Rauch, Mark Shaw and Antoinette Louw. 2001).
2. Enforcement of local municipal by-laws
By-laws are made by the municipality. The by-laws in South African cities are in disarray for two reasons. The new municipalities have new boundaries and jurisdictions and the old (pre-local elections held in 2000) by-laws do not apply across the new municipal areas.
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Many of the old by-laws are politically and legally inappropriate to new democratic South Africa and subject to challenge in terms of the constitution (Janine Rauch, Mark Shaw and Antoinette Louw. 2001).
1.5.4. INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES
The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) was founded in 1991 as the Institute for Defense Policy (IDP) by Dr Jakie Cilliers, the current Executive Director and Mr PB Mertz. The organization was renamed the Institute for Security Studies in 1996. Dr Cilliers (2009) noted that,
“We often forget the difficult times of our past and where we come from. The idea and motivation for the ISS was born during a meeting organized by Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA) between a number of concerned South
Africans and members of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), in Lusaka, Zambia in May 1990. The
conference was groundbreaking for security specialists and analysts from within and outside South Africa – the first of its kind despite the unbanning of the ANC earlier that year”.
The meeting was dominated by a debate on the future of the military in a post-settlement South Africa. Apartheid Security Forces conceptualized that the Institute was an ANC front organization. The IDP’s credibility was guaranteed by an MK enquiry into whether the Institute was a military front organization. After focusing on South Africa’s transition
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in its early years, the work of the ISS took on a regional dimension after 1996, resulting in the thriving continental organization that it is today. The development of the ISS would not have been possible without the support of partners from South Africa and the international community. The ISS quests after the work of the following four divisions (ISS, 1991):
1. Governance, Crime and Justice
The division aims to: promote democratic governance and reduce corruption. The promotion is through enhanced levels of accountability, transparency and respect for human rights in African democracies. Moreover, reduce crime and improve justice by assisting African governments to develop evidence-based policies, legislation and strategies and improve the performance of their criminal justice systems.
2. Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis
This division aims to help prevent conflict and improve stat capacity for risk analysis by contributing to the understanding of the latest human security developments on the continent.
3. Conflict Management and Peace Building
This division aims to enhance effective conflict management and peace building by assisting Governments and relevant regional and international institutions to improve their management of conflicts and provision of security.
4. Transnational Threats and International Crime
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This division aims to combat transnational threats and international crimes by enhancing the ability of African inter-governmental organizations, national governments and civil society to respond more efficiently and appropriately to transnational threats and international crimes.
43 1.6. THESIS STRUCTURE
Figure 4: Thesis structure
Introduction
Literature Review Approach
Implement Spatial Tools Investigate the Relationship of Surrounding Places
Crime Situation
Conclusion
Information: Collect; Process and Analyze
Mapping and Analyses
44 1.7. CONCLUSION
South Africa is a country with a violent and dark history. The nature in which the country has dealt with its violent past is perhaps unsatisfactory. There is no single answer as to why South Africa has high levels of crime. While the levels of crime are high in South Africa, crime does not affect all people uniformly. The poor are more at risk from personal crime than the well-off, and the well-off tend to be victims of property crime (Antoinette Louw and Mark Shaw, 1997). A multitude of apartheid and draconian internal security laws were placed on South African statute books between the mid-1950s and late-1980s. Behavior that is considered normal in a free society was criminalized. During this time, the legitimacy of the South African government declined and the opposition to its policies intensified, the distinction between political and criminal behavior became blurred (Martin Schonteich and Antoinette Louw, 2001). Martin Schonteich and Antoinette Louw (2001) explicate,
Apartheid offences were classified as crimes. The state’s security forces committed crimes, and showed disdain for the rule of law, in their zeal to clamp down on the government's political opponents. Those engaged in ‘the struggle’, particularly from the mid-1980s onwards, justified forms of violence as legitimate weapons against the system. Actions that were violent crimes were often seen and justified by their perpetrators as a legitimate defense against political opponents and enemies. The result was a society in which the use of violence to achieve political and personal aims became widespread.
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South Africa has increasing levels of poverty and inequality. South Africa is one of the highest countries in the world in terms of income inequality (Word Bank Report, 2006). Jean D. Triegaardt (2006) puts across that, “poverty is apparent to the human eye and is profiled by shacks, homelessness, unemployment, capsulized labor, poor infrastructure and lack of access to essential services.” Approximately half of the population lives in poverty in South Africa, and half of them live in households that have no access to any social security. There are estimates that just over twenty-two million people in South Africa live in poverty (DBSA as cited in Jean D. Triegaardt, 2006). Poverty and inequality accompany unemployment. The unemployment rate is 25.5% (Statistics South Africa, 2014). The official unemployment rate is made up of those who are jobless, but actively looking for work. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes people who have given up looking for a job, stands at around 34.6% (Statistics South Africa, 2015).
South African attitudes towards the law are demonstrated in small things such as the high number of individuals who drive without seat belts and who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Police officers break traffic rules even when it is not necessary; drivers ignore red traffic lights and so on (Dr Chandre Gould, 2014).
Respect for and confidence in state institutions are undermined by citizens. Attempts to change attitudes towards the rule of law are stymied by the disrespect demonstrated for the law and the value of life by the very people responsible for making and
enforcing the law. “For as long as those holding political office appear to act with impunity, or cynically use the criminal justice system to dodge severe allegations of
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the abuse of power and state resources, we cannot reasonably expect South African citizens to respect the law” (Dr Chandre Gould, 2014). Just as there is no single cause of violence and crime, there is no unique solution. There is an urgent need to develop a coherent programme to prevent and respond to violence.
47 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. INTRODUCTION
Crime is not caused by any one event but rather results from a combination of many factors. Crime affects the quality of life of every South African. Reducing crime and building safer communities must be a priority for all (Susan Liebermann and Karina Landman, 2000). Government policy and legislation are to ensure that crime levels in the Republic5 stabilise. Since the transition of the ANC government in 1994, two main policy documents have governed policing in South Africa. The two plans of action are the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) of 1996 and the National Crime Combating Strategy (NCCS) of 2000. The strategies are said to represent the underlying legislative foundation of the integration of GIS within policing in South Africa.
The paper titled, “A Geographic Information System for Regional Planning”
(1968) by R.F. Tomlinson, was the first published use of the term: Geographic Information System. The Rural Development Branch of the Department of Forestry and Rural Development (Government of Canada) had a primary task to assemble social (demographic); economic and land data for an integrated analysis.
5 The Republic of South Africa
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The integration was to enable problems of rural development to be specified and development programs to be implemented and evaluated. The Regional Planning Information Systems Division of the Branch developed an interrelated computer- based information system to handle and analyze data. The design and development of the system started in 1963, for the storage and manipulation of land data. The need for a computer-based system was identified due to the restrictions on the collected data.
The need for the storage of maps and related data in a form suitable for rapid measurement and comparison (R.F. Tomlinson, 1968). Data containing location information can be displayed and analyzed using Geographic Information System technology, which is essential to crime analysis. ESRI (2015) describe, “by incorporating traditional law enforcement data with data such as demographics, infrastructure and offender tracking, GIS can transform information into actionable intelligence”. The use of GIS in crime analysis by law enforcement agencies is coming into its own as an invaluable decision support system in tackling crime through the identification of crime patterns, trends and clusters. Rachel Boba (2001) defines Crime Analysis as follows:
“The qualitative and quantitative study of crime and law enforcement information in combination with socio-demographic and spatial factors to apprehend criminals, prevent crime, reduce disorder, and evaluate
organizational procedures.”
She further points out (2005),
Crime analysis is a field of study and practice in criminal justice that utilizes systematic research methods and data, supports the mission of police agencies and provides information to a range of audiences. Crime Analysis is a
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profession and a set of techniques or a law enforcement function that involves systematic analysis for identifying and analyzing patterns and trends in crime.
Crime mapping is a subset of crime analysis that focuses on understanding the geographic nature of the offence and other activity (Boba, Rachel, 2005). eThekwini Municipality and their law enforcement agencies strive to place emphasis on
developing new tools to confront and prevent crime in the Metro6. Technological advances and social changes have ushered in new and more pervasive forms of public video surveillance. Modern public video monitoring systems consist of networks linked cameras spread over portions of open space. These systems are beginning to cover the urban landscape all around the world (Virginia E. Sloan et al., 2005).
2.2. CRIME PREVENTION
Crime is a serious problem in South Africa. Solutions that work and are cost- effective must be found. Crime prevention is part of the solution. Susan Liebermann and Karina Landman (2000) pen that, “crime prevention programmes reduce the levels of crime”. Crime is about people, places and situations. Crime occurs when three things happen at the same time and in the same space (Criminal Justice Reform.
2013):
6 Metro relates to or a characteristic of a metropolis
50 1. A motivated offender is present 2. A suitable target is available
3. There is either something or someone present which encourages the crime, or nothing or no-one to discourage it.
Removing or reducing any one of these three elements reduces the likelihood of criminal action. Crime prevention and reduction strategies try to work on all these elements. Crime prevention is a pattern of attitudes and behaviours directed at
reducing the threat of crime. Enhancing the sense of safety and security, to positively influence the quality of life in our society, and to develop environments where crime cannot flourish (National Crime Prevention Council, 1990). Crime prevention is proactive, rather than reactive. Proactive policing seeks to prevent the crime from occurring in the first place while reactive policing responds to crime after it has occurred. The goal of Crime Prevention is to stop crime from happening in the first place, which means preventing the criminal justice system investigation, arrest, prosecution, incarceration and punishment from going into action. Crime prevention is (National Crime Prevention Council, 1990):
• Everyone’s business;
• More than security;
• A responsibility of all levels of government;
• Linked with solving social problems; and
• Cost-effective.
The perspective or starting point for crime reduction is people, places or situations already known for criminal activity. Offenders who have racked up a long record of assaults and robbery are a good example. It might be a residential neighbourhood that
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has been plagued by break-ins. Alternatively, it could be a situation, such as out-of- control house parties where the peace is disturbed, and underage drinking and sexual exploitation. Crime reduction starts with assessing the current exploitation. Crime reduction begins with assessing the current problem and developing strategies to decrease the amount of criminal activity, or minimize the harm it causes (Criminal Justice Reform, 2013).
2.3. THE NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY OF 1996
The initiative to develop an NCPS began in early 1995 as a response to the late icon, former President Mandela’s address to opening of Parliament, which raised concerns about crime.
“The situation cannot be tolerated in which our country continues to be engulfed by the crime wave that includes murder, crimes against women and children, drug trafficking, armed robbery, fraud and theft. We must take the war to the criminals and no longer allow the situation in which we are the mere sitting ducks of those in our society who, for whatever reason, are bent to engage in criminal and anti-social activities. Instructions have therefore
already gone out to the Minister of Safety and Security, the National
Commissioner of the Police Service and the security organs as a whole to take all necessary measure to bring down the levels of crime” (the late former President Mandela, 1995, Cape Town).
Crime prevention was acknowledged as a key government policy. The NCPS was unprecedented. It saw the placing of crime prevention in a particular context within
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government’s key economic policies, which made links between crime and economic development. Key ministers and officials expressed unease with an early draft of the NCPS. The drafters were given instruction to add a component to the strategy document, reflecting current actions and the short-term plans of the government departments involved in crime reduction. The ministers were aware that their
constituency was hungry, not for more plans but a tough approach to crime. A chapter that described measures already being implemented by different departments to address prioritised crimes were added to the draft strategy. The NCPS was approved by Cabinet and launched in May 1996 to the acclaim of all parties in the Government of National Unity. The NCPS proposed new approaches to crime prevention in four categories (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996):
• Re-engineering the criminal justice system: aimed at providing an efficient and legitimate criminal justice system as the foundation for crime prevention, law enforcement and the protection of human rights.
• Reducing crime through environmental design and limiting environmental or situational opportunities for crime. Maximising constraints by primarily ensuring that safety and crime prevention considerations were applied in planning new developments and in the redesign and upgrading of existing infrastructure.
• Community values and education: aimed at harnessing community
participation and involvement in crime prevention, to ensure a positive impact on the way society engages with and responds to crime and conflict.
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• Transnational crime: aimed at addressing the enormous influence of
international and regional criminal syndicates and involving improved border control, the addressing of cross-border crime and regional co-operation.
Further, the NCPS identified seven national priority crimes (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996):
• Crimes involving firearms
• Organised crime
• White-collar crime
• Violence against women and children
• Violence associated with inter-group conflict
• Vehicle theft and hijacking
• Corruption in the criminal justice system
The NCPS launched after the 1996 Annual Police Plan. The public saw the NCPS as just another plan. Despite the problems associated with its public launch, the NCPS began to introduce a new paradigm for dealing with crime in South Africa. Some of the key concepts introduced were (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996):
• The government cannot deal with crime on its own. The institutions of government must work together and with civil society to reduce crime.
• Law enforcement and criminal justice responses alone are inadequate for addressing crime.
• The criminal justice system cannot efficiently operate unless there is better cooperation between the departments that constitute the system and integration of their activities.
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• Crimes are different and must be dis-aggregated if effective prevention strategies are to be designed and implemented.
• Prevention efforts must focus on victims and potential victims and not merely on perpetrators, as is the case with traditional systems of criminal justice.
• Prevention efforts need to take cognisance of fear of crime and crime patterns.
2.4. THE 1998 WHITE PAPER ON SAFETY AND SECURITY
The 1998 White Paper affirms the current legal situation between central and provincial government. The positions of the National Secretariat are strengthened by making the Secretary for Safety and Security the “accounting officer” for the entire Department (J.Raugh, 1998). The White Paper titled, “In Service of Safety” was approved in 1998 and its intention was to provide the policy framework for
government’s provision of safety and security until 2004. The paper on Safety and Security attempted to deepen government’s policy approach to crime prevention in South Africa and proposed ways to revise the original NCPS. It focused on three key areas: law enforcement, crime prevention and institutional reform to meet delivery goals (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996).
1. Law enforcement
The focus areas identified to ensure effective law enforcement and service orientated policing were intended to:
• Improve the investigative capacity of the SAPS
• Implement targeted visible policing
• Improve services to victims of crime.
55 2. Crime prevention
The paper defines crime prevention as all activities that reduce, delete or prevent the occurrence of specific offences. Prevention is achieved by altering the environment in which they occur; by changing the conditions that are thought to cause them; and by providing a strong deterrent in the form of an effective criminal justice system. It introduced new approaches such as
“development” crime prevention aimed at young people and families;
“situational crime prevention” and “community crime prevention”, targeted at specific geographic areas. The paper advocated targeted, multi-agency crime prevention strategies focusing on the root causes of particular types of crime, offenders and victims and the social environment.
3. Institutional reform
At national level, the policy interventions outlined in the White Paper sought to clarify issues of accountability and operational independence by:
• Strengthening the position of Secretary for Safety and Security to become the accounting officer (financial head) of the Department of Safety and Security
• Clarifying the roles of the various components of the Department, in an attempt to reduce tensions between the civilian secretariats and the SAPS.
At the provincial level, the paper created an active role for provincial administrations in crime prevention. The paper advocated that provinces should (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996):
• Initiate and coordinate social crime prevention programmes.
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• Mobilise resources for social crime prevention.
• Coordinate a range of provincial functions and role players to achieve effective crime prevention.
• Evaluate and support local governments in crime prevention programmes.
• Establish a public and private partnerships to promote crime
prevention at the local level, the paper advocates a much greater role for local government in the delivery of crime prevention initiatives.
• Initiate, coordinate and participate in targeted social crime prevention.
• Work with local police to set joint local safety priorities and possible areas for local government intervention.
• Align municipal resources and objectives with a crime prevention framework to ensure that development projects take account of crime prevention.
• Effective enforcement of municipal by-laws
• Assist victims of crime through the provision of information regarding available support services in the municipal area
The paper outlined some new roles for Community Police Forums (CPFs) (Crime prevention policy in South Africa, 1996):
• Cooperate with local government to jointly set crime prevention priorities.
• Assist in the development of targeted crime prevention programmes.
• Identify flashpoints, crime patterns and community anti-crime activities.
• Mobilise and organise community-based campaigns and activities.
• Facilitate regular attendance by local councillors at CPF meetings
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In the 1994 Green Paper emphasised three key policy areas – democratic control, police accountability and community participation in issues of safety and security.
The Police Service Act of 1995 concretised these new strategic objectives by
establishing a Secretariat for Safety and Security. The work of fighting crime is more complex and challenging. Criminals are becoming more organised and sophisticated, operating with little regard to national boundaries. Foreign criminal groups are extending their operations as organised crime becomes increasingly globalised, and South Africa is not impervious to this development (White Paper on Safety Security, 1998).The SAPS faces new challenges in the increasingly sophisticated and
international crime arena. The SAPS needs to upgrade the skills, competencies and capacity of its members to meet these challenges. Other institutions who have been involved in crime prevention were challenged in ensuring a wider recognition of the fact that crime is more than a security issue. The fight against crime requires an inter- departmental and multi-agency approach. Crime prevention requires greater
participation from all spheres of government (White Paper on Safety Security, 1998).
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2.5. THE NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY OF 2000
The Department of Safety and Security states as its aim “…to prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of South Africa and their property and uphold and enforce law.” SAPS has achieved some successes: the levels of certain crimes have stabilised, and service delivery in certain areas has improved. Over the past four years, SAPS has been focusing on devoting resources to alleviate the causes of crime through the National Crime Prevention Strategy. The Department of Safety and Security (2002) has identified the following key objectives for the current period:
• To enhance the safety and security of South Africa’s inhabitants
• To ensure peace and stability
• To ensure proper investigations of criminal cases and the provision of sound crime intelligence
• To protect prominent people
• To manage SAPS, its resources, development and operations more efficiently.
The Integrated Justice System (IJS) and the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cabinet Cluster coordinate joint crime prevention initiatives. The Cluster, chaired by the Department of Safety and Security, prioritises making strategic interventions under the following themes:
• Transforming the Integrated Justice System
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• Developing and implementing a joint crime prevention and crime combating strategy
• Formulating and implementing a security strategy
The Department’s activities are organised trough a number of different programmes, these include:
• Crime Prevention provides for the work of police stations nationally and specific functional services such as the dog, equestrian, radio control and diving units.
• Operational Response Services provides for the policing of South Africa’s borders and the specialised policing services associated with maintaining public order, crowd management and the high-risk functions performed by the Special Task Force.
• Detective Services and Crime Intelligence provides for the investigative and intelligence work of SAPS and support of investigators in the form of training, forensic evidence and the maintenance of the Criminal Record Centre (CRC).
• Protection Services provides for the protection of foreign and local prominent people.
2.6. PUBLIC VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
The potential of video surveillance has generated interest among law enforcement officials who see video surveillance as a cost-effective and unobtrusive means of combating serious threats to public safety. A public video monitoring system is simply a small network of cameras, administered by or for law enforcement for the
