Hon Chair, section 51(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1997 provides for a minimum sentence of imprisonment for life in respect of a person convicted of an offence referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the said Act, which includes, inter alia, murder when "the victim was a law-enforcement officer performing his or her function as such, whether on duty or not". The courts will take this into account in all cases where a police official is a victim of murder. Thank you, Chair.
Thank you very much, Chair and hon Minister. Minister, the section that you have mentioned is not sufficient as a deterrent. Following and emanating from the summit on the killing of policemen and policewomen this year, what measures will be put in place to reduce the killing of police members? Thanks.
Hon Chair, perhaps one can understand the sentiments expressed by the hon member here because this matter of police killings has been of concern to most of the people in our country. Because of that, as we said, we really understand the sentiments expressed.
The hon member would know that we had consultations with many sectors of society from different backgrounds in order to come up with mechanisms to deal with this scourge of police killings. And as a result of that, a 10- point plan was developed, which, amongst other things, looks at the situation of the police both physically and psychologically.
The 10-point plan looks at the additional role that the government has to play. It looks at the role of civil society. The contributions made at that very summit helped us to understand the significance of the matter, as well as the need to highlight it to the public. We think that we should and will always continue to highlight it because it becomes a problem for the rest of us if those who are charged with the responsibility of protecting us are targeted by criminal elements in our society. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Chairperson, and thank you very much, Minister, for your answer with regard to the question. The killing of police officers on duty is a painful loss and a serious threat to the state. Minister, what action have you taken to address this problem? Why is this problem continuing? When are we going to see an end to the fear of our police being targeted? This is a serious threat. People are now starting to have a problem with our police members being targeted. Aren't you going to make sure that you appoint a commission to investigate what is actually happening? Thank you.
Thanks again, hon member, for your concern. But, no, we wouldn't need a commission of inquiry because most of these killings happen when police respond to criminal activities. There has been research done on this matter over a period of time. What becomes important is that the outcome of the summit, which, as I've said, included a lot of people, places an obligation on everybody, including the police themselves.
You would have noticed that in recent months most police members used bulletproof vests, which in the past have been more than sufficient. It is just that people sometimes have taken things for granted. But there is a whole host of comprehensive programmes emanating from the summit. I must take this opportunity, Chairperson, to thank everybody who participated - from politicians to academics and everybody else, because it really indicated that society is taking this matter very seriously. Thank you.
Thanks, hon Chairperson. Indeed, Minister, I can bear testimony to your assertions that the police these days do wear bulletproof vests, and we hope this will decrease the number of fatalities. But, besides that, hon Minister, would you consider introducing a debate that will, it is hoped, end up with an amendment to our Constitution so that a suspect or criminal found guilty of having killed a police officer faces a firing squad?
Thanks, hon Chair. Are you serious, hon member?
Yes!
Are you serious?
Chairperson, I am not here to play.
Well, hon member, this would be difficult with the Constitution we have. Firing squads! Heyi, ngenye indaba leyo! [Hey, that is another issue!] Thank you.
Thank you, hon House Chair. Hon Minister, I think that this issue about police killings is an issue that we, as South Africans and parliamentarians, should all agree must remain condemned. The police are the defenders of our democracy, so this is one issue on which we must stand together to condemn it.
The question I want to pose, Minister, relates to the training of the police. Are you accelerating the so-called streetwise training for the police as a way to try to minimise this particular problem?
Thanks, Chair. Thanks to the hon Ramatlakane who has raised these points and concerns - even in the past - about the killing of police. As you would know, hon member, this is ongoing. This is really similar to the road to social progress - it's always under construction. On issues of training, you can never say that you have arrived. It has to continue all the time, not only from the point of view of some examples you have made, but generally. Up-skilling the police is always important. The very fact that we had to make a call urging the police to wear bulletproof vests says something about very fundamental issues. That says something about the police protecting themselves, because that is their duty as much as it is their duty to protect us. Thank you very much.
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