The government’s justice, crime-prevention and security (JCPS) departments need to work more closely to improve efficiency, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla said on Wednesday.
”I would want to see greater efficiency; I don’t know how we could entrench that systematically,” she said.
”I would want to see a time when we even have budgets for joint ventures within the JCPS cluster. We have to move in that direction.”
Mabandla was speaking at the opening of a three-day National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) conference in Midrand where National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli is expected to unveil the NPA’s 15-year strategy.
She cited the NPA’s sexual offences and community affairs unit as an example of what she meant by greater synergy.
The unit, in conjunction with the police and the Departments of Social Development and Health, has established several Thuthuzela care centres for victims of sexual offences.
The Thuthuzela care centres are 24-hour one-stop service centres where victims have access to all services that include police, counselling, doctors, court preparation and prosecutors.
It has reduced the time for sexual offence cases to be finalised in court and also increased convictions.
Mabandla said ”smart linkages” such as the joint Thuthuzela centres seems to improve the efficiency within the cluster. — Sapa