“A game-changer in this term of office is needed and required to show and demonstrate we are changing the narrative of local government,” said Ramaphosa.
“There must be consequence and accountability management. This must be the hallmark of restoring the credibility of our municipalities.
“It is not workshops, support programmes and calls for more funding, however genuine they may be, that will shift the believability of the intentions, but consistent actions that inspire people who have lost hope and confidence in the promise of our constitution and local democracy, that our municipalities do care and act responsively to address communities concerns.”
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Cele: Number of South Africans in prisons indicates foreigners are not the problem
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba
Police minister Bheki Cele says the number of South Africans in the country’s 243 prisons indicates foreign nationals are not the problem regarding crime.
Cele was speaking at the SA Local Government Association’s (Salga) Council of Mayors’ conference.
According to a News24 report, Cele said more than 500,000 South Africans occupy the 243 prisons as opposed to 18,000 foreign nationals.
“Foreign nationals are not a problem. It is South Africans. They are in prison in large numbers, which means they do things they are not supposed to do,” he said.
Cele said prisons were overpopulated by 33.3%. He said the country needs to go beyond policing.
He said over the past two years justice minister Ronald Lamola requested for 33,000 prisoners to be released on parole.
“SA cannot be a prison,” said Cele.
“The call to arrest cannot be a permanent call. Something else must be done. Other things and other ways must be found.”
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Cele said some countries are converting their prisons into schools and SA should consider doing the same thing instead of arresting criminals.
He said mayors were responsible for changing the lives of citizens to avoid a catastrophe.
“We can’t convert the whole of SA into a prison,” said Cele.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the opening session of the conference, calling for mayors to be game-changers.
“A game-changer in this term of office is needed and required to show and demonstrate we are changing the narrative of local government,” said Ramaphosa.
“There must be consequence and accountability management. This must be the hallmark of restoring the credibility of our municipalities.
“It is not workshops, support programmes and calls for more funding, however genuine they may be, that will shift the believability of the intentions, but consistent actions that inspire people who have lost hope and confidence in the promise of our constitution and local democracy, that our municipalities do care and act responsively to address communities concerns.”
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