SPEECH (NOTES) BY KWAZULU-NATAL MEC FOR TRANSPORT, COMMUNITY SAFETY AND LIAISON MR. BHEKI CELE AT THE ANTI-CRIME PRAYER DAY AT TAFELKOP NEAR PINETOWN ON THURSDAY, 8 MARCH 2005.

• There is greater spiritual power when believers pray together with unity of purpose. In Matthew 18 of the Bible, Jesus taught not only the power of prayer, but also the power of agreement in prayer.

• He said that when multiple believers agree in prayer His Father would give them anything for which they ask. Because in united prayer, said Jesus - even in small groups of two or three - He Himself would be uniquely manifest.

• We have gathered here today for similar reasons, perhaps to consider more specifically problems pertaining to crime and road safety.

• This gathering today, is a culmination of a province-wide programme that has already gone to many areas in KwaZulu-Natal with the specific aim of establishing and maintaining a culture of safety.

• This campaign aims to ensure that the entire religious community of KwaZulu-Natal participates actively in our struggle against crime, and road crashes.

• During his State of Nation Address, President Thabo Mbeki said that "the progress that we are making in dealing with crime is manifest in the ongoing reduction in the rates especially of the most serious crimes.

• The trend in the past financial year which has seen the rate of such crimes as murder decline by 8%, theft of motor vehicles and motor cycles by 5,4%, common robbery by 5,9%, cash-in-transit heists by 48,7% and bank robberies by 57,5% should continue and in fact improve in subsequent years".

• This should be a clear indication that government is working tirelessly to make sure that South Africa becomes a better place for all. However, in order to adequately fight all forms of crime, a concerted approach by all sectors of our society is urgently required.

• An additional allocation of R2, 3 billion was announced last October to improve the salaries of members of the SAPS.

• In an effort to improve their capacity to fight crime, an additional 8 000 police officers and 3 000 support staff have been recruited since May 2004.

• With specific reference to KwaZulu-Natal, I am pleased to announce that we have recently received a new police helicopter which will assist us tremendously in our fight against crime, especially in areas that could not be policed previously due to a lack of capacity and resources.

• I also wish to place state that whatever strategies we use to combat crime, it should be acknowledged that our efforts will not be appreciated until we reach a position where in many instances we can stop crime before it happens.

• As we head towards the forthcoming Easter Holidays, I would like to urge all religious leaders from the various faiths to continue to play a more active role in spreading the gospel of safety by ensuring that our safety messages go right down to grassroots level.

• For far too long, there has been a perception that safety was only government’s responsibility. However, the time has come for that perception to be urgently corrected as safety should be close to all our hearts. After all, it concerns the protection of our most precious gift - our very life.

• To ensure a safer KwaZulu-Natal and protection of life, multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional roadblocks will be set up in support of Asiphephe and in time for the Easter Holidays.

• The purpose of these roadblocks will be clearly to demonstrate to the public, that all our law enforcement agencies and security services will not tolerate recklessness, dangerous and irresponsible behaviour both on our roads and anywhere else.

• These operations will reflect our determination to jointly tackle the problem of un-roadworthy, unlicensed and overloaded vehicles, unlicensed and drunk drivers, as well as stolen vehicles and unlicensed fire arms.

• We will intensify high visibility patrols, increase law enforcement on critical offences, and ensure an integrated and co-ordinated effort of all law enforcement operations.

• The KwaZulu-Natal Ministry of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison will play the role that we are mandated to play and continue to champion "100% compliance" 24 hours, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

• We will "defend the weak".

• In closing, I would like to recognise religious denominations and organisations such as the Nazareth Baptist Church for making a meaningful impact in shaping societal behaviour and attitudes.

• Indeed, we appreciate your efforts.

• E.M Bounds once said that, "God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil."

• Finally, continue to work and pray with unity of purpose and without ceasing for a Safer South Africa, where there the number of road accidents and incidents of crime will be significantly reduced.

I thank you.

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