Ald Hannes Coetzee
MMC for Community Safety
By Ald Hannes Coetzee
MMC for Community Safety
This week marks a significant milestone in our collective mission to ensure the safety and well-being of all Gauteng residents.
The signing ceremony of the Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) on the Provincial Integrated Policing Framework, held at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus, is a bold step toward transforming public safety through intergovernmental collaboration.
As the MMC for Community Safety in the City of Tshwane, I, on behalf of the
Multiparty Coalition Government, fully welcome and support this strategic initiative.
This agreement paves the way for deeper coordination between the Gauteng
Provincial Government, municipal law enforcement units, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other critical role players.
It signals a united front against crime,
lawlessness and urban decay, and emphasises the importance of adhering to the rule of law as a foundation for a safe city in accordance with Priority 4 of our administration’s agenda.
The MoU ensures the following:
• Enhanced collaboration between municipal and provincial law enforcement
bodies, fostering a unified approach to tackling crime and safety concerns;
• Streamlined operations through shared intelligence, joint planning and tactical deployment, allowing different agencies to work in concert and effectively allocate resources where they are needed most;
• Greater responsiveness to community needs by integrating enforcement
functions across jurisdictions, ensuring that the voices of residents are heard
and considered in safety strategies; and
• Support for localised safety strategies, including the City of Tshwane’s own municipal policing priorities and crime prevention initiatives, which are tailored to address specific challenges faced by our communities
This integrated approach not only strengthens our hand in addressing crime
hotspots, enforcing by-laws, reclaiming public spaces and restoring community trust in our institutions, but also reinforces the critical notion of community safety.
More importantly, it affirms our commitment to building a caring, accountable and secure metropolitan city – one where every resident can live, work and thrive in safety.
The City of Tshwane stands ready to implement the Provincial Safety Strategy in full alignment with this MoU.
We are committed to collaboration and look forward to contributing to a safer
Gauteng, together with our counterparts in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and other
municipalities in the province.
Let this partnership be a turning point for effective urban management and visible policing across the province, ensuring that the principles of the rule of law are upheld and that we create an environment where community safety is paramount.
Together, we will build a future where safety is not just an ideal but a reality for every resident in Gauteng.
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