Crime
Crime Prevention
Policy
Crime prevention in South Africa is based on the principles of community policing, which involves
partnerships between the community and the South African Police Service (SAPS). Community policing was
introduced in the SAPS in 1994 as an approach to policing, which recognises the interdependence and shared
responsibility of the police and the community in establishing safety and security. The key to this approach is
the establishment of active partnerships between the police and the public through which crime and community
safety issues can be jointly addressed.
Community Policing Forums (CPFs) are actively involved in crime-prevention and awareness programmes,
and allow the SAPS to mobilise and involve communities in the fight against crime. CPFs also assist the
police by mobilising partnerships with businesses. By March 2008, 1 111 CPFs were fully operating at 1 115
police stations. The National Community Policing Consultative Forum (NCPCF) represents role-players from the
SAPS, the National Secretariat for Safety and Security and the provincial chairpersons of the CPFs.
In line with the philosophy of community policing, sector policing is viewed as an enabling mechanism, which
organises and mobilises communities on micro-level for instance within the boundaries of neighbourhoods or
so-called sectors to bring the SAPS closer to neighbourhoods. Sector policing entails that, by understanding
the causes of crime and the factors that enable it to take place, the police and the community join their
capabilities and, in partnership, launch projects to address such causes.
The Big Business Working Group was established in 2006. Along with Business Against Crime (BAC), it
supports government in its response to the high levels of crime. In terms of this approach, business
assists government in achieving a sustained, systematic and rational problem-solving response to the
complexities of tackling crime challenges.
Source: http://www.gcis.gov.za/resource_centre/sa_info/yearbook/2009/chapter16.pdf
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