By Nangamso Mabindla
30 January 2008

SAFETY and security will be on the agenda in Eastern Cape in February, with a number of activities lined up by the department of safety and liaison.

The initiative is part of the Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy, an over-arching plan for Eastern Cape that was adopted by the executive council in 2006.

Department spokesperson Ncedo Nkumbaca said that the strategy recognised that for the province to be a safe place, the mobilisation of communities and various partners as agents for safety was important.

"Safety and security is not only the responsibility of law enforcement agencies. The crime prevention strategy focuses on strengthening communities against crime, preventing violence and corruption, and the strengthening of the criminal justice system."

He said that February was regarded as safety month and, during this time, the department of safety and liaison would be promoting the Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy around the province.

"We will be doing this through intense community mobilisation focusing on crime reduction strategies."

To ensure that communities were not put off by the idea of going to a meeting to discuss crime, the department has a number of activities planned to attract people to its gatherings.

"It has been proven that communities will not attend a meeting that is called exclusively to discuss crime; in response to that we will have initiatives like music and sporting events to attract people," Nkumbaca said.

These ranged from safety summits in Buffalo City and Mthatha, to launching street committees, and strengthening and supporting Community Policing Forums (CPF) through a Provincial CPF Summit.

Talking about the opportunities afforded by safety and security month, Nkumbaca said: "It strengthens relationships and partnerships between the government, the business sector and civil society and [promotes] mass-based community mobilisation. It also promotes safer communities, moral regeneration and the need to act against crime."

Another opportunity was the promotion of co-operation and integration between law enforcement agencies in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.