Planning for crime prevention: The case of the city of Tshwane
Chapter 4
Strategic direction for crimeprevention in Tshwane
This section sets out the strategic direction for crime prevention in Tshwane by all three spheres of government and specifically looks at the approach and philosophies underlying it, the process followed in strategy development at a local level, as well as the critical evaluation of the local Crime Prevention Strategy.
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Underlying Approach and Philosophy
In accordance with the Summit that entrenched the City of Tshwane's central role in crime prevention, the Tshwane Metropolitan Police pertinently states that it has taken the responsibility for a holistic Crime Prevention Strategy and the co-ordination of various initiatives in this regard in the City of Tshwane.1 The Metropolitan Crime Prevention Strategy specifically refers to and illustrates the national policy directions and imperatives, and the way in which the Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy is aligned to the mandate of local government as set out in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), the White Paper on Safety and Security, and the NCPS. Embedding crime prevention as a core function of local government provides an opportunity for a holistic approach to crime prevention to become a reality, as well as to strengthen the SAPS' crime prevention initiatives by not only supplementing its capacity in terms of policing, but by making it easier to integrate crime prevention in the municipal development planning context.2
The SAPS at national, provincial and area level also endorses such a holistic approach to crime prevention. The Minister for Safety and Security again emphasised this aspect during a media briefing 3 (February 2003) where he set out the national government's two-phased approach towards crime prevention (2000-2010), viz: (1) social crime prevention to stabilise crime levels in the Tshwane Area by 2003, and (2) mitigating the real causes of crime.
The local crime prevention initiative is captured in the 'City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy, 2002-2007'.4 It is also evident from the range of initiatives and approaches to crime prevention that are promoted at local level that there is a 'buy in' to Government's new approach to crime prevention, which "requires the development of wider responsibility for crime prevention and a shift in emphasis from reactive 'crime control', ... towards proactive ' crime prevention'".5
It seems that the approach to crime prevention followed in Tshwane underlines the link between crime prevention and urban governance and management,6 as the Tshwane Crime Prevention Unit and Forum regard crime and crime prevention as a critical aspect that influences the development of the city and its people,7 not only in terms of safety and security but also in terms of economic development. Crime prevention featured as the third highest priority of critical needs raised by the various Ward Committees in the 2001-2002 IDP process 8 and violent crimes are still a major concern in the city.9 The Crime Prevention Unit obviously regards this as an endorsement for the establishment of the unit and their work.10 Their new approach crime and crime prevention is central in the developmental debate, because, as they see it, "when the community is safe then development will follow".11 The Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy, 2002-2007 is thus also regarded as a catalyst for economic development and for building positive working relations between various role players in the city.12
As part of its integrated and holistic approach towards crime prevention, the newly established Crime Prevention Forum used a number of working groups to consolidate existing initiatives aimed at a safer Tshwane.13 The aim of this holistic approach to crime prevention was to 'try to handle the bigger picture',14 through policing, social crime prevention, and environmental design.15 According to the Crime Prevention Unit, they have a 'soft and hard approach' to crime prevention,16 which implies that even though they promote a hard line of ' zero tolerance', they also try to promote a softer approach of education and raising of awareness regarding crime prevention and the reporting of crime. In addition to this they also support programs and projects aimed at the eradication of poverty and creating jobs.
This approach to crime prevention and its implementation through the establishment of a specific unit - namely a Crime Prevention Unit - in the metropolitan police is regarded as ' pioneering work'17 and an approach that would enable local government, the police and other role players to each play their respective parts within a broader framework of crime prevention. This would entail policing and law enforcement as well as addressing root causes and socio-economic circumstances of crime, assisting victims and offenders, protection of targets, and environmental design.
- Local strategy development process
Driven by the Strategy Development Unit in the Crime Prevention Directorate of the Metropolitan Police, an extensive Crime Prevention Strategy development process was initiate at the Tshwane Crime Prevention Summit in November 2001.18 This led to the drafting of the Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy (2002-2007), which was adopted on 23 August 2002 after an extensive consultation period.19
As indicated at the outset of this report, prior to 2001 crime prevention in Tshwane was primarily driven by the SAPS and CPFs (at city-wide and station level). Crime prevention was approached within the broader national crime prevention policy framework, involving numerous innovative local specific initiatives and strategies, as well as ad hoc crime prevention operations, usually focussed on visible policing, target hardening and law enforcement. Other role players in this regard were the SANDF, business associations, and research institutions like the CSIR and ISS. Operations and initiatives were planned and assessed on available information such as crime statistics, national priorities, and on needs identified by the community, in a co-ordinated but probably not integrated way. With the establishment of the Tshwane Metropolitan Police in 2002, the opportunity for the first time arose for local government to play a central role in crime prevention in the city and to develop a holistic crime prevention approach.
Because of the existing energy, strong relationships and innovative practices regarding crime prevention in Tshwane, the Strategy Development Unit tried to put together an integrated approach encapsulating existing initiatives instead of starting off on a clean slate. In this process (outlined in Box 3) different working groups were used to put existing initiatives and strategies together. As stated in the strategy, it was "the product of numerous discussion sessions, workshops and meetings with various role players".20 The strategy was also closely aligned with the national and provincial crime prevention policies framework and priorities. However, the strategy development process itself was very generic and 'by the book'; at this early stage understandably still primarily structured around the functions of the Crime Prevention Directorate.
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Emphasis of the local crime prevention stratergy
The Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy is aimed at creating "...a city, devoid of crime, where all can work, live, play and prosper" 21 The mission as set for the strategy is "...to improve and promote safety, security and orderliness throughout the City of Tshwane by making crime prevention everybody's business, through:
- [promoting] collective vision and focus
- mobilisation, co-ordination, integration and participation
- [focussing on] implementation
-
[promoting] sustainability".22
A five-phased strategy development process was followed; consisting of the following phases:
-
Phase 1: Strategic planning process, including a SWOT analysis done to identify
the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for crime prevention in the
City of
Tshwane.
-
Phase 2: Crime analyses: During this phase an analysis of crime in the city
according to
type, intensity, profiles and victims was done in order to come to a common
understanding of crime in the city and to provide a basis upon which to develop
interventions.
-
Phase 3: Crime prevention tripod - focal clusters: Three focal clusters
were identified to
guide the Crime Prevention Strategy, which were actually based on the functions
of the
Crime Prevention Directorate, namely policing, social crime prevention, and
environmental
design.
-
Phase 4: Strategic objectives, outcomes and activities: In this fourth phase
the way in
which the focal clusters can assist in crime prevention was explored. This
was done by
identifying the primary role of each cluster and the key role players in each
arena, and
then developing a set of strategic objectives and activities for each cluster.
The strategic
objectives, however, relate specifically to the establishment and operationalisation
of each
function within the Metropolitan Police structure, which unfortunately limits
the potential
of the strategy to little more than an operational plan for the Crime Prevention
Unit.
- Phase 5: Crime prevention initiatives: This is regarded as the phase where the Crime Prevention Strategy will actually be implemented through a range of initiatives. Currently this section in the strategy consists of examples of activities and projects for each of the respective functions/units in the Crime Prevention Directorate. While it has not been stated as such, this phase is most probably not yet completed.
Table 2: Policing strategy
Focal cluster
Main elements of strategy
Policing23
Executing strategically planned crime prevention operations, based on intelligence and information, to enhance the safety and security of people within Tshwane. This proactive policing method (vis-à-vis the traditional crime control methodology) requires preventative intervention, a focus on all types of crime, and consistent law enforcement.
Focal cluster
Key outcomes of strategy
Policing
This component of the strategy implies a focus on reducing crime and criminal behaviour through strategic, effective, efficient, more visible and economic policing. The importance of partnerships, community empowerment, and trust are recognised. In addition to this, changed perceptions of the safety and security force and building respect and integrity for law enforcement agents.
Focal cluster
Implementation mechanisms and initiatives
Policing
Achieved through high level and specialised training of law enforcers, partnerships and joint ventures, high visibility, cleanup and crackdown operations, speedy response, intelligence and information networks, strategic planning and continuous monitoring and control.
Focal cluster
Key role players
Policing
The Metropolitan Police Department regards these players as themselves, the SANDF, SAPS; and other supplementary services, ie private security companies, neighbourhood watch initiatives, and associated government departments such as the Department of Home Affairs. Even though identified objectives, implementation mechanisms and initiatives are not only related to the functions and jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Departments, it seems that the Crime Prevention Strategy has been tailored to actually provide an organisational plan/strategy for the Metropolitan Police and the Crime Prevention Directorate in particular. This is probably due to the recent establishment of the Crime Prevention Directorate, the transformation processes that are still underway in the local government, and the lack of capacity in the Metropolitan Police Department. Interventions thus mostly include aspects such as:
- building capacity
- provision for additional staff
- motivation for better equipment and state of the art technology
- the justification of existing structures and capacity, such as the specialised units.24
Focal cluster
Main elements of strategy
Social Crime Prevention25
To address the prevention of crime by addressing the causes of crime as well as the actual crime in order to enhance the safety and security of people in Tshwane.
Focal cluster
Main objectives of strategy To:
- facilitate a multi-agency approach and redirect the provision of services to ensure a move away from reactive to proactive policing
- determine and address the underlying causes of crime
- render services and establish facilities to groups at risk
- effectively address nonpoliceable crime and the factors contributing to this
- reduce the risk and/or opportunity of 'crime disorder'
- reduce the incidence of crime through education and awareness
- address crime through crime prevention projects and programs.
Implementation mechanisms and initiatives
Social Crime Prevention
Through the development, co-ordination and integration of projects and programmes based on contributing and causal factor analyses, research, community needs assessment and continuous liaison based on the principles of multiagency delivery action mechanisms, as well as on educating the community, creating awareness of crime and crime prevention Key role players The identification of key role players is not very clear and has been listed as national, provincial and local government departments, business, community and social structures, international - and non-governmental organisations.
Table 4: Environmental Design Strategy
Focal cluster
Main elements of strategy
Environmental design 26
A focus on the design and redesign of the environment in order to reduce the opportunity for criminal activity. The emphasis lies on timeous, proactive intervention and/or sound planning, design and management principles which will reduce:
- the causes of, and opportunities for, criminal events that stem from the environment
- fear of crime.
Main objectives of strategy
Environmental design
To:
- apply all principles of crime prevention through environmental design, eg target hardening, visibility and surveillance
- identify and address all structures which can/do increase the opportunity for criminal activities
- identify and address access and escape routes at identified 'hotspots' in the city
- increase the sense of territoriality of communities in order to facilitate control and movement in the environment
- advocate target hardening as a mechanism to reduce criminal activity
- render a service that is enhanced by state of the art equipment
- establish strong partnerships with all agencies contributing to crime prevention through environmenta design.
Implementation mechanisms and initiatives
Environmental design
Even though little detail in this regard is provided, it will basically be done by reducing the causes and opportunities for criminal events, as well as by addressing the fear of crime through sound planning, design and management. It is acknowledged in the strategy that effective and sustainable crime prevention through environmental design necessitates information-based intervention, continuous communication, co-ordination, monitoring and control.
Focal cluster
Key role players
Environmental design
The key agencies mentioned are national, provincial and local government, community and social structures, business, and non-governmental organisations.
Other key focus areas in the strategy are the mobilisation and establishment of working relations with community groups and the gathering of adequate and correct information to enhance the effectiveness of crime prevention interventions.
Within the context of the newly established Metropolitan Police Department, nine of the thirteen priority projects identified for implementation by the Metropolitan Police within the Tshwane IDP process are aimed at the establishment of Metropolitan Police Offices and/or units, and on providing the necessary supportive network infrastructure. The other projects, namely:
- inner city regeneration through crime prevention
- crime prevention with a focus on youth and development
- holistic crime prevention
Foot Notes
City of Tshwane. (Ahomed K, Burkenstock I, Malope M.) City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy. 2002a.
Shaw M. The role of local government in crime prevention in South Africa. 1998. Institute for Security Studies. Occasional Paper No 33, August 1998. http://www.iss.org.za/Pubs/Papers20030309.
Minister for Safety and Security, 17 February 2003, Media Briefing, 1.
http://www.saps.org.za/media/brief20030217.
Ahomed, Burkenstock.
City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy. 1.
Shaw The role of local government in crime prevention in South Africa 3.
Ahomed, Burkenstock.
City of Tshwane. Integrated Development Plan for the City of Tshwane. 2002b. Interview: Ahomed K, Burkenstock I, Mbatha V. Metropolitan Municipality of the City of Tshwane, Metropolitan Police Department, IDP Office. 25 November 2002, Pretoria.
Van Rhyn. It should be stated that this is country-wide concern, as contradictory to popular believe, violent crimes did not decrease after 1994 (refer to Schönteich M, Louw A. Crime in South Africa: A country and cities profile. Institute for Security Studies. Occasional Paper No 49. 2001: 1-5.
http://www.iss.org.za/Pubs/Papers20030309).
"We are number three", Ahomed, Burkenstock.
Ahomed, Burkenstock.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
The three strategic components are similar to that of the Durban Safer City Strategy: Reducing Crime in Durban. A Victim Survey and Safer City Strategy. Monograph No. 58, August 2001. Institute for Security Studies. http://www.iss.org.za/Pubs/Monographs20030309.
Ahomed, Burkenstock.
"Even the MEC was thrilled with the specific units", Ahomed, Burkenstock.
Ahomed, Burkenstock, Malope. See Box 3.
City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 1.
City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 3.
Ibid.
Ibid (own brackets).
Based on the City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy: City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 12.
City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 24-27. Tshwane Office of the Chief of Police. Prioritised project list: Metro Police. Memorandum from the Integrated Development Planning Unit. 22 November 2002.
Based on the City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy: City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 16, 25-26.
Based on the City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy: City of Tshwane City of Tshwane Crime Prevention Strategy 21, 26.
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