The Executive Committee (EXCO) has approved the appointment of an independent team comprising of academics and experts in policing matters to compile a report that will assist eThekwini Municipality in addressing transformation issues and organisational development in the Metro Police Unit.
City Manager, Sibusiso Sithole briefed EXCO members during the committee’s first sitting for 2014 at City Hall today, 21 January 2014, about the developmental interventions aimed at stabilising, transforming and modernising the Metro Police Unit.
Sithole said the Municipality needed to identify the root causes behind some of the challenges at Metro Police and take action to deal with those weaknesses. He said it was important to build on the existing strengths and determine what sort of repositioning will be required in the Metro Police Unit going forward.
He said the report will, among other issues, assist the Municipality to maximise the use of existing technology to reduce crime within eThekwini, improve on the overall management of the Unit as well the collection and processing of traffic fines.
“We are envisioning that this exercise will be done by independent people with knowledge about policing in general, from a practice and academic point of view because of the sheer scale of the work that has to be done. We want to work with Universities and include the resources that have been to the Police before who have also gone through some of these transformation processes,” said Sithole.
Sithole said he was optimistic that the holistic intervention into Metro Police would bear fruits but warned that this exercise could not be done overnight.
“But for the intervention to materialise it must not be seen as a witch hunt against individuals. It will not be done as though we are doing a forensic investigation because it is not about that. It is about us going to Metro Police and critically taking stock about what are the strengths and weaknesses,” said Sithole.
The exercise will include community involvement by encouraging members of the public to give feedback on how they would like to see the Metro Police changed. Sithole said similar exercises have being done in other major cities.
“We have been in contact with a rage of academics to solicit how a work of this nature needs to be done. A report will then be tabled at the relevant committees and Council,” said Sithole.
“The external exercise will help the Municipality redefine the role of Metro Police and make it a more efficient force. Ultimately the Municipality wants to restore the dignity and public confidence to the Metro Police,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sithole said an internal investigation will be conducted into the allegations that some members of Metro Police allegedly assaulted and intimidated Masjid attendees on Friday, 17 January 2014. He said the Municipality viewed these allegations seriously and he has requested the Unit to submit a report so that appropriate action could be taken.
Redetermination of Municipal boundaries
The South African Municipal landscape is going to change after the 2016 municipal elections following the final decision of the Municipal Demarcation Board on the re-determination of municipal boundaries.
A presentation on the Redetermination of Municipal Boundaries and how this would affect different Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal was made to EXCO by the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). The exercise includes the disestablishment and amalgamation of a number of Municipalities in the province.
As part of the exercise eThekwini Municipality will absorb three wards and a portion of another as the Vulamehlo Municipality will be split between Umdoni and eThekwini Municipalities.
The COGTA report sets out guidelines about processes to be followed by the affected Municipalities in implementing the changes, including the establishment of technical and political Change Management Committees.
Drive to increase use of the Muvo Card
EXCO supported the drive by the eThekwini Transport Authority to increase the number of people using the Muvo Card for public transport purposes. The Muvo Card, which was officially launched in July 2013, has since been rolled out to all regions and to date 20 000 cards have been issued to commuters.
The aim of the new initiative is to increase the total volume of cards to about 70 000. The Cards will be distributed free of charge to commuters.
Deputy Mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala said they are happy that the number of people using the Card is on the increase. But she cautioned that it would take time to change people’s mind-set about using the Card instead of cash.
An amount of R836 000 has been set aside for this exercise.
Extension of contract for ablution facilities for informal settlements
EXCO approved the recommendation to extend the contract for the provision of communal ablution facilities in informal settlements as part of a strategy to accelerate the provision of sanitation to eThekwini residents. An additional amount of R250-million has been set aside for this purpose.
Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee Chairperson, Nigel Gumede said part of the amount would be used to speed up the eradication of the remnants of the bucket system, especially at KwaMashu Hostel. The Municipality has been given until March to eradicate the entire bucket system.
The construction of communal ablution facilities forms an integral part of the Municipality’s Interim Services Programme, which provides basic services like water, electricity and sanitation to informal settlements.
