Huge resources to combat crime
Thapelo Sakoana
22 February 2007The government is to increase its safety and security budget by 34% to R44-billion over the next three years as South Africa moves to increase its police force to 190 000 by 2010.
Presenting his Budget Speech in Cape Town on Wednesday, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said the allocation for fighting crime would rise from R33-billion in 2006/07 to R44-billion in 2009/10.
South Africa's safety and security budget allocation has increased by 43% since 2003/04.
Manuel said an extra R2.4-billion would go to the South African Police Service in 2007/08 to enable it to increase the number of police officers, improve police salaries and invest in new technology and forensic equipment.
"The Department of Justice receives a further R1.5-billion over the next three years to improve court capacity, reduce case backlogs and modernise the administration of justice," the minister said.
The Department of Justice's budget allocation had increased by 41% over the past three years and would rise by a further 52% over the next three years, Manuel said.
The government, he said, recognised the seriousness of the crime situation in the country and would continue to provide leadership in dealing with this issue.
However, he added, effective crime fighting "depends on partnerships between our law enforcement agencies and communities. Through community police forums, all citizens have the opportunity to contribute towards making their communities safer."
Manuel said he had instructed the country's Financial Intelligence Centre, Financial Services Board and South African Revenue Service to work more closely with police and prosecutors in tackling financial crime.
"We must ensure that neither organised crime nor abuse of stewardship obligations should be allowed to violate our hard-earned democracy."
Source: BuaNews
