Chairperson, Minister of Police, Mr Nathi Mthethwa, Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Fikile Mbalula, hon members of the House, Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development, Ntate Mofokeng, colleagues from other provinces, we are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that crime is drastically reduced and corruption is stamped out in our provinces.
Our successes in the fight against crime in the province are as follows: We have managed through our processes to conduct a number of campaign activities. We managed to search a number of businesses, motor vehicles and business properties totalling 38 426. We managed to conduct more than 470 roadblocks and have succeeded in visiting a number of farms, businesses, elderly people, vacant houses and schools.
We successfully patrolled in our vehicles and on foot more than 25 171 times and we successfully managed to arrest a number of people for various crimes during Operation Washa Tsotsi. We also have successfully confiscated dagga and other substances. We confiscated more than 91 800 litres of liquor and a number of home-brewed substances. We also arrested a number of wanted criminals through Operation Washa Tsotsi. During the firearms amnesty period, we succeeded in handing over a number of weapons and sharp instruments.
In terms of the crime prevention situation in the province, our programmes prioritise sustainable community mobilisation and partnerships in the fight against crime, and in support of the police's efforts to reduce crime in the Northern Cape.
We have a campaign that we call the rescue of public spaces. Most violent crimes happen in isolated and bushy areas near taverns. It is with this in mind that we have engaged municipalities in the province to come on board and assist with cleaning operations in open spaces. One of the flagship projects of the department of safety in the province is the rescue of public spaces project, which recently won a Silver Award in the Premier's Service Excellence Awards.
Chairperson, our province was honoured with the responsibility of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the 50-day countdown. We are proud to report that this prestigious event was incident-free. This was due to the safety and security measures put in place by the SA Police in the province.
During the period under review the province successfully established 54 victim-friendly facilities out of a total of 91 police stations. It is our responsibility to ensure that before the end of this financial year all 91 police stations in the province will have victim-friendly facilities.
In terms of the safer schools campaign, this is to ensure that our schools remain institutions of learning and excellence. During this campaign we managed to confiscate drugs, alcohol and dangerous weapons at schools across the province. This campaign has been successful as fewer schools have now reported having these unwanted substances.
In terms of community partnerships, the Northern Cape province is engaging in successful community partnerships. We have a sound working relationship with communities in our province. Our people are very co-operative and support campaigns and initiatives of the government to fight crime and corruption. We have strong partnerships with the SA Police Service, the community police forum, Youth Against Crime, Women Against Crime, and all other relevant structures meant to fight crime in the province.
Regarding gangsterism, hijackings and ATM bombings, as a province we have successfully managed to foil a number of attempts relating to hijacking and ATM bombings in the city of Kimberley. These criminal activities are very rare in our province. It is for that reason that when criminals are squeezed elsewhere they then move base to the Northern Cape under the wrong impression that that province is a soft target. Our law enforcement officers have proven the criminals wrong through their tough anticrime programmes, hence the high success rate in the province and the minimal hijackings and ATM bombings.
We acknowledge as a department the insufficient resources that we have in the province, such as vehicles and human resources. But we are really working hard in ensuring that we close all gaps that may hinder our achievement in our objectives of reducing crime and corruption in the province.
The matter of closed-circuit television, in the two townships of the city has come a long way; SAPS head office made commitments to provide the aforementioned equipment in both Galeshewe and Roodepan. This will assist us in the fight against crime and corruption and it will contribute positively towards effecting more arrests. These cameras will assist us in ensuring that we succeed in our objectives.
In most of the crimes in the province, especially crimes that take place over weekends, such as rape, murder, robbery and domestic violence, the preferred weapon of choice is the dangerous weapon known as Okapi. Most criminals use it in the perpetration of violent crimes in the province.
The department, in collaboration with the SAPS, the department of justice and the chief state law adviser in the office of the premier have already commenced a process aimed at the development of provincial legislation to regulate or outlaw the carrying of dangerous knives and other related weapons. We hope to introduce the draft Bill to the legislature of the province during the fourth quarter of this financial year.
Gravel roads remain a challenge in the province as police vehicles are adversely affected in terms of wear and tear. This area must be looked into in relation to the massive infrastructural development needs of the province and its rural nature.
Our province is vast and sparsely populated, and most people have to travel for more than 100 km to access a police station. Hence we have ensured that these areas are provided with satellite police stations in the context of putting people first.
This concept of central command structures will contribute immensely towards our fight against crime and corruption. We strongly recommend that it be rolled out in the province before the end of this year.
The building and renovation of police stations in the province is a serious challenge since most buildings utilised by the police are in a bad state. The Mothibistad police station in Kuruman, which services more than 20 villages, is totally dilapidated and a new police station is required in this regard. The second biggest township in the province, Paballelo in Upington, also require a new police station to service the community. The current buildings from which the police are operating belong to the Khara Hais local municipality.
The municipality has given notice that it wants to take its office back. This poses a serious challenge to our law enforcement agents in the area. Paballelo, as the second biggest township in the province, also requires the services of a new police station. Our priority list for ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]