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1. What is the ICVPS?
The Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy (ICVPS) is government’s plan aimed at promoting an integrated preventative approach to addressing the root causes of crime and violence. It acknowledges that safety is not the responsibility of the SAPS alone but adopts a “whole of government” and a “whole of society” approach.
The ICVPS rests on six pillars, namely:
Pillar 1: Effective Criminal Justice System: which talks to the efficiency, responsiveness
and professionalism of the criminal justice sector in addressing people’s needs and
problems on issues of crime and safety.
Pillar 2: Early Intervention to Prevent Crime and Violence and Promote Safety: which
addresses issues of safety and prevention of crime and violence at an early age,
making sure children from their first 1000 days are given a healthy start. Also in Early
Childhood Development, children are protected and taught well, including in the schools,
communities, playgrounds, and everywhere they go they should be and feel safe.
Pillar 3: Victim Support: this talks to how each role player should be able to advocate for
the victims, giving them support and care they deserve, and addressing any barriers they
might be facing. The implementation of the victim’s charter is crucial.
Pillar 4: Effective and Integrated Service Delivery for Safety and the Prevention of
Violence: We must link all the people with relevant services and resources for communities
to receive the help they need to be safe. This also talks to basic delivery of services,
bringing programmes and services that addresses issues of poverty, unemployment,
inequality and promote socio-economic development. There must be proper coordination
and collaborations by all stakeholders.
Pillar 5: Safety Through Environmental Design:
The proper design of our living spaces helps to
promote safety and prevent crime and violence
in our society. Urban and rural planning must
take into consideration the safety of the people,
for example, making sure that street lights are
functioning well to light up areas so that people feel safe, that
bushes and long grass are cut in areas to prevent crimes from taking
place, and for the creation of sports and recreation facilities and
community meetings. This will enhance the feelings of safety amongst
communities and create a safe and conducive environment.
Pillar 6: Active Public and Community Participation: when we make communities
the center for developing programmes for the
prevention of crime and violence, we empower our
communities and our people to take ownership of
their own safety. This also means they must form
part of planning for safety within their areas of
residence, their work, at schools, at shopping malls, and any other
spaces. The establishment of community structures gives community
representatives a voice on all safety planning and prevention
measures in their own communities.
2. What is my role as a community member in the Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy?
As a community member, you have to take responsibility
for your safety and within the area you live in, to be
alert always, report any suspicious activities within
your community, know your neighbors and your fellow
community members, know the services available to
you from government and the role you need to play to
access those services, be an advocate for the vulnerable
within your community, do not be silent when observing
injustices, abuse, domestic violence, criminal activities,
and report all these to the relevant authority.
You need to participate in community activities and share
information that will help prevent situations before these
escalate to higher levels, for example, if certain hot spots
for criminal activities are known in your community, or
where community members are being terrorized by gangs,
you need to please report these activities to the relevant
offices, police stations, and community leaders for those
issues to be addressed.
3.What is the implementation plan of the ICVPS?
The ICVPS is the implementation plan. It consists of tables
which outlines the roles and responsibilities of each
stakeholder responsible for implementing it. It requires
integrated planning and budgeting and capacity building
which must take place at all spheres of government, and
this includes all government and society role-players
coming together to do this planning. It also needs clear
performance indicators for implementing, and it must
have monitoring and evaluation indicators to measure
improvements in crime levels.
4. How are you going to ensure the effective implementation of the ICVPS?
We will do this by measuring the impact of the ICVPS by decreasing crime
levels, increase in employment and development at local areas. We are
requesting DPME to include high-level indicators in the Medium Term
Strategic Framework (MTSF/MTDP) to ensure implementation of the ICVPS
and ensure each department is held accountable.
Other M&E tools through the Provincial Departments of Community Safety
will help check if all role players are doing that which they are supposed
to do, and doing it effectively. We have established a Working Committee
at national level to coordinate all planning and reporting on successes and
challenges with plans to mitigate on those challenges.
You need to participate in community activities and share information
that will help prevent situations before these escalate to higher levels,
for example, if certain hot spots for criminal activities are known in your
community, or where community members are being terrorized by gangs,
you need to please report these activities to the relevant offices, police
stations, and community leaders for those issues to be addressed.
5. How will you ensure that the ‘whole of government and the whole of the society’ is participating in the ICVPS
We will be utilizing the District Development Model (DDM) as a key
platform for effective implementation of the ICVPS and for coordination
across the three spheres of government. Provinces and local government
will ensure alignment of the ICVPS with the DDM. The Offices of
the Premiers are also expected to play a crucial role in terms of
coordinating and facilitating implementation of the ICVPS.The successful
implementation of the ICVPS relies heavily on every single member of
society and government alike committing to working together in order to
realize safer communities for all.