It is those experiences of our people that in fact have informed what we are trying to do. Over many years now there have been communities indeed that have collected some resources in order for them to ensure that there is some community activity that is designed to assist the law-enforcement agencies.
As I said in my speech the other day in this House, there are even some members, like you, who participate in those programmes. What we are saying is that we must create conditions, and those can only be made possible as a consequence of decisions that we must take here, because we must change the law in order for us to do all these things. It does not mean that when you have started something like that you can't approach, for instance, your local station commander. You go to that person, the commissioner there, and speak with him or her.
I am sure the police will be able to help, but I really appreciate the role that people, like some of these hon members in this House, are playing. Fortunately, you do understand that when we make the kind of call we have made, it is not because we ourselves want to walk away from our responsibility. Thank you very much for that.
Release of crime statistics and targets for crime reduction
20. Ms D Kohler-Barnard (DA) asked the Minister of Safety and Security:
(1) Whether he will release crime statistics to the public and the legislatures so that his department's performance can be properly assessed; if not, why not; if so, when;
(2) whether he will outline a set of targets for crime reduction, by category; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether he will step down if he fails to achieve these targets; if not, why not;
(4) what is the government's position on transparency, with specific reference to his department's refusal to release up-to-date crime statistics? N225E