Page 41 - Provincial Treasury Estimates.pdf

Estimates of Provincial Revenue and Expenditure (EPRE) -2023/24 Financial Year
Social Cohesion and Community Safety

The 2022/23 Quarter Three Crime Statistics published by the SAPS indicate that over the past year, crime
in the Province has increased for the majority of crime categories such as total contact crimes, various

sexual offences and some sub-categories of aggravated robbery, property related and other serious crimes.
Crime not only negatively affects the safety and quality of life it also discourages potential investment

negatively impacting on economic growth and development. The following represent some of the major
provincial government interventions and programmes targeted at crime prevention and promoting
community safety:

ƒ Formalisation of the Provincial Safety Strategy;
ƒ Active civic campaigns and establishment of Multi-Sectoral GBVF Rapid Response Teams at local

levels;
ƒ Reviewing of the Provincial Gender Based Violence Response Plan; and
ƒ Assisting in increasing the conviction rates in femicide cases through the Court Watch Brief

Programme that entails analyzing all GBV dockets that have either been thrown out of court or
withdrawn for purposes of a possible review and returned back into court roll for conclusion; and

ƒ Provision of Psychosocial services and Victim Empowerment Programmes through the provision of
Thuthuzela Centres.

Over the medium-term community safety initiatives rolled out through Community Safety have been
allocated an additional amount of R8.2 million in 2023/24 and R25.724 million over the 2023/24 MTEF.

These funds will be directed towards crime prevention mobilization across hotspot areas in the province. In
total the allocation to the Department of Community Safety will be R115.179 million in 2023/24 and
R357.492 million over the 2023 MTEF towards building safer communities for all.

Furthermore, the provincial government has allocated an additional funding of R15.732 million through DSD
over the 2023/24 MTEF towards social behavioral change programmes to assist with crime prevention and

addressing risky and harmful social behaviors. Whilst departmental GBV initiatives are mainly for the
provision of psychosocial and victim empowerment services have been allocated an additional funding of
R15.732 million over the 2023/24 MTEF.

Social Welfare

The provision of social relief services has far reaching consequences on protecting livelihoods and driving
economic development. The provincial government, therefore, understands the value in investing in social

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