Briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education: South

African Police Service School Safety Programme - 2017

12 October 2017

Contents

1. Background.

2. Objectives of the Protocol.

3. Aims of the Protocol.

4. School linkages.

5. School Programmes.

6. Challenges.

7. Way forward.

8. Conclusion.

2

The Partnership Protocol on Crime and Violence in Schools (hereinafter

to be referred to as “the Protocol”) was signed by the Ministers of Police

and Basic Education, in April 2011.

This Protocol is supported by all provinces, acknowledging commitment

towards the implementation of a national protocol.

Both Departments support the implementation of the Protocol, through

the coordination of the Schools-based Crime Prevention Programme.

- The Medium Term Strategic Frameworks (2015-2019) of both Departments,

support the implementation of the Safe Schools Programme.

Background 3

The objectives of the Protocol are to:

- Strengthen Safe School Committees in addressing crime and violence in schools as part of its

mandate.

- Assume an active role as a member of Safe School Committees.

- Link all schools to local police stations.

- Raise awareness amongst children and young learners regarding violence and its impact on

individuals.

- Mobilise communities to take ownerships of schools.

- Encourage the establishment of a reporting system at schools.

- Implement schools-based crime prevention programmes, in collaboration with provincial,

district and local officials responsible for school safety.

Objectives of the Protocol 4

• Promote proactive interventions that enrich early childhood development and to

promote resilience against offending behaviour at the earliest possible opportunity to

assist in building capacity for the school community, especially learners, to prevent

and manage school safety issues by promoting participating in the development,

implementation, sustaining and evaluation of school safety programmes.

• Promote the image of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and build relationships

between schools, police stations, children, school communities and the SAPS.

• Promote the use of crime prevention in order to ensure school safety and build

understanding regarding the importance of prevention and the shared responsibility

that everyone (officials from Departments, individuals and organisations) has for the

prevention of crime.

Aims of the Protocol (1) 5

Render a schools-based crime prevention service that is pro-active and

characterised by interventions that identify potential offenders and empower

potential victims and existing victims.

Encourage an integrated and multidisciplinary approach towards crime

prevention and development, to mobilise relevant stake-holders, to participate

in a network of service to protect children and transform all schools into safe,

caring and child-friendly institutions.

Use a community-based and inclusive approach to address the needs of

communities, through effective schools-based crime prevention and policing.

Aims of the Protocol (2) 6

5535

1306

2500

6057

4067

1740

564

1550 1525

4251

1306

2500

5797

4067

1740

564

1348 1491

1284

0 0 260

0 0 0 202

34 0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Eastern Cape Free State Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Limpopo Mpumalanga Northern Cape North West Western Cape

Total Number of Schools Number of Schools Linked Remaining number of schools to be linked

Total Number of Schools Linked per Province 8

Total Number of Schools Linked Nationally

24844

23064

1780

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Total Number of Schools Total Number of Schools Linked Remaining Schools to be Linked

7

Programmes are jointly identified by both SAPS and the Department of Basic Education and are informed by

prevailing circumstances such as unsocial behaviour of learners and include the following:

– Substance Abuse (inclusive of all kinds of drugs);

– Bullying (assaults and cyber-bullying);

– Teenage pregnancy;

– Theft;

– Gangsterism;

– Vandalism;

– Gender-based Violence and Sexual Offences;

– Dangerous weapons;

– Occult-related crimes and harmful religious practices;

– Safety awareness (safety hints); and

– Unlawful administration of corporal punishment (reaction by learners to teachers).

Programmes Conducted in the Identified Schools 9

Schools are identified on the basis of prevailing crime or threats of crime and violence.

- Local Crime Threats Analyses (CTA) are utilised for this purpose.

Hotspot schools are identified for focussed interventions by the SAPS.

The identification is done in consultation with the Department of Basic Education.

The elements of Safe School Programmes are:

- Crime prevention operations.

- Schools-based crime awareness campaigns.

- Community crime awareness and educative programmes, aimed at schools.

Identification of Hotspot Schools 10

1212 1250 1210

620

6882

3671

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

2016/2017 2017/to date

Total number of schools identified Total number of programmes conducted Crime Prevention programmes maintained

Programmes Conducted During 2016/2017 to Date (1)

Please note: the East Coast Christian College was closed and the Vumelethu Secondary School was merged with the Samuel Mkhize

Secondary School, during the 2016/2017 financial year

11

12

Province 2016/2017 2017/2018

(April to date)

Number of Identified

Schools

Programmes

Conducted

Number of Crime

Prevention

Programmes

Maintained

Number of

Identified

Schools

Programmes

Conducted

Number of Crime

Prevention

Programmes

Maintained

Eastern Cape 03 103 1 971 282 133 2 000

Free State 30 30 344 66 39 97

Gauteng 47 47 380 112 46 730

KwaZulu-Natal 299 297** 751 308 94 308

Limpopo 287 287 266 207 127 207

Mpumalanga 37 37 509 89 70 299

North West 161 161 122 79 44 18

Northern Cape 108 108 330 29 18 2

Western Cape 140 140 2 209 78 49 10

Total 1 112 1 210 6 882 1 250 620 3 671

**The East Coast Christian College has been closed and the Vumelethu Sec School was merged with the Samuel Mkhize Sec School.

Programmes Conducted During 2016/2017 to Date (2) 12

Early interventions are required to address behavioural and social

challenges.

Inadequate infrastructure for medical examinations.

One SAPS member is required to serve multiple schools, in addition to

having to perform other functions.

Inadequate involvement of other departments.

Challenges 13

Joint annual planning will be conducted and a standardised monitoring and

evaluation tool will be utilised.

Joint interventions will be conducted to address the emerging challenges at

identified schools.

The SAPS will strive for the alignment of databases.

There will also be a focus on the strengthening of committees, to include civil

society.

Standardised training programmes for all coordinators.

Way Forward 14

The success of the School Safety Programme is dependent on the involvement

and participation of other role-players, namely:

– Communities (ownership of the schools).

– Civil society groups.

– All government departments.

– Learners and parents.

The SAPS will continue to involve all interested parties in joint School Safety

Programmes, in addressing safety in all schools.

Conclusion 15

Thank you