→ House of Assembly → 1988 → JUNE, 1988 → House of Assembly: Vol7 - MONDAY 13 JUNE 1988

House of Assembly: Vol7 - MONDAY 13 JUNE 1988

MONDAY, 13 JUNE 1988 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

†Indicates translated version.

For written reply:

General Affairs:

Special constables 815. Mrs H SUZMAN

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

  1. (1) (a) How many special constables (i) have been recruited, (ii) have completed their basic training, (iii) have been discharged, (iv) have been transferred as a result of disciplinary procedures and (v) have resigned since the establishment of the special constable force in 1986, (b) how many such constables are currently undergoing training and (c) in respect of what date is this information furnished;
  2. (2) how many of these special constables who received training have (a) no formal education, (b) (i) one year, (ii) two years, (iii) three years, (iv) four years and (v) five years of formal education, (c) Std 6, (d) Std 8, (e) Std 10 and (f) any tertiary education;
  3. (3) whether any special constables have previous convictions for (a) common assault, (b) theft, (c) assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, (d) robbery, (e) rape, (f) indecent assault, (g) murder, (h) drug offences, (i) intimidation, (j) public violence, (k) culpable homicide, (1) fraud, (m) arson, (n) housebreaking and (o) possession of unlicenced fire-arms; if so, (i) how many in each case and (ii) why were they accepted for training;
  4. (4) whether any special constables have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of any of the above offences since their recruitment; if so, (i) how many in respect of each such offence and (ii) in which magisterial districts did the alleged offences occur in each case;
  5. (5) whether any special constables have had any complaints laid against them for allegedly committing any of the above offences; if so, how many in each case?
 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

(1) to (5)

I would like to reply to the question of the honourable member as completely as possible, however, it is unfortunately not possible owing to the enormous number of man hours which would have to be sacrificed in this process country-wide. However, I am prepared to furnish information that is readily available.

From 1 August 1986 up until now, 4 076 special constables have been trained. The vast majority of these persons received high school training and completed their basic training without any problems.

At an occasion I said that persons with previous convictions are not normally taken into service as special constables. At present this requirement for enlistment is strictly applied. Unfortunately it has occurred that several persons with previous convictions have been enlisted during urgent recruitment campaigns. However, these previous convictions are primarily as a result of less serious offences which were committed long ago. The services of these special constables are utilized under strict supervision. I wish to assure the honourable member that should it be at all apparent that the further use of their services constitutes any risk, they will be summorily dismissed. However, up until now it had not been necessary because they provide excellent service.

It is also true that a number of special constables committed offences since their enlistment. They were, however, charged without hesitation and summarily dismissed. Fact of the matter is that including a number of persons who resigned on their own accord, the personnel turnover of these day-labourers were extremely low and more than 80% of all special constables that were enlisted, are still in service.

They contribute largely to the suppression of the revolutionary climate and the maintenance of law and order in the black townships. On the contrary, the vast majorityof the residents of the black townships welcome and are grateful for their presence.

 Khayelitsha: police stations 963. Mr K M ANDREW

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

  1. (1) Whether there are any police stations in Khayelitsha; if so, (a) how many and (b)
  2. (i) in what buildings and (ii) where are they situated; if not, why not;
  3. (2) whether any police stations are being planned for Khayelitsha; if so, (a) how many, (b) where will they be situated, (c) when will building operations (i) commence and (ii) be completed in each case and (d) what is the estimated cost of each;
  4. (3) whether these police stations will be housed in buildings specially designed for that purpose; if not, why not?
 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:
  1. (1) Yes.
    1. (a) One temporary police station.
    2. (b) (i) and (ii) At the housing office of the Western Cape Community Service of the Provincial Administration, Site C, Khayelitsha.
  2. (2) Yes.
    1. (a) to (d) Several police stations are being planned for this area. A temporary police station at an estimated cost of R540 000 is presently under construction on site K46 and is expected to be completed shortly.

      It is anticipated that tenders for the first permanent police station near the town centre will be obtained during September 1988. This project, at an estimated cost of R7,8 million and with a construction period of 25 months, is expected to commence prior to January 1989. However, this planning is subject to change.

      The planning of further police stations will take place taking in consideration the development of the area and the availability of funds. However, particulars of these projects cannot be furnished at this early stage.

  3. (3) Yes.
 Document RP 2-1987/RP 2-1988: cost 1001. Mr C J DERBY-LEWIS

asked the Minister of Finance:

(a) What was the total cost incurred in connection with the document (i) RP 2-1987 (First Print) and (ii) RP 2-1988 (First Print), (b) by what percentage did this cost increase or decrease and (c) what are the reasons for this increase or decrease?

 The MINISTER OF FINANCE:

(a)

(i)

RP 2-1987

R75 441,82

(ii)

RP 2-1988

R71 997,11
  1. (b) Decrease of 4,57%
  2. (c) Fewer copies were printed with fewer pages per book.
 Security force personnel: behaviour on passenger trains 1175. Mr C J DERBY-LEWIS

asked the Minister of Transport Affairs:

Whether, over the past five years, he received any complaints regarding the behaviour of security force personnel using the passenger train services; if so, (a) what complaints, (b) when and (c) what action was taken in respect of these complaints?

 The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AFFAIRS:

Yes.

  1. (a) Misconduct.
  2. (b) From time to time.
  3. (c) A system was instituted whereby complaints are reported immediately to the S.A. Defence Force Headquarters. The Defence Force authorities take stringent action in terms of their disciplinary code against transgressors and complaints of misconduct have since declined drastically.
 SATS: safety of personnel 1176. Mr C J DERBY-LEWIS

asked the Minister of Transport Affairs:

What precautions are taken to ensure the safety of South African Transport Services personnel on suburban and inter-city trains?

 The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AFFAIRS:

The honourable member may rest assured that the South African Transport Services places a high priority on the safety of its employees. With this in mind a standing committee has been appointed to identify unsafe situations and thereafter implement safety measures.

The following measures are already being applied:

Provision of two-way radios to train personnel on commuter trains;

a driver is employed at the front and rear end of commuter trains whereby preventing drivers from changing ends on reaching their destination;

members of the South African Police who are in uniform travel free on commuter trains;

private security guards are placed at strategic points;

the armouring of drivers cabins;

the training of personnel to identify explosive devices, and the provision of security fencing.

Own Affairs:

 War veterans’ pensions: application of means test 151. Mr R M BURROWS

asked the Minister of Health Services and Welfare:

  1. (1) Whether the payment of war veterans’ pensions falls under his Department; if so, (a) how many such pensions are being paid at present, (b) to how many persons are they being paid in respect of each specified war period and (c) in respect of what date is this information furnished;
  2. (2) whether a means test is applied to all persons who performed full-time war service; if so, (a) at what stage is it applied and (b) how many applications were refused in each of the latest specified five years for which information is available, by reason of the income of the war veterans concerned exceeding the means test limit; if not, (c)(i) to what categories of persons is a means test not applied and (ii) how many persons fall into each of these categories?
 The MINISTER OF HEALTH SERVICES AND WELFARE:
  1. (1) Yes, for white persons.
    1. (a) 13 006 cases
    2. (b) Anglo-Boer war — 9 cases

      First World War 1914/18 — 567 cases Second World War 1939/45 —12 410 cases

      Protesting Burghers 1914 — 20 cases

    3. (c) 1 June 1988
  2. (2) No
    1. (a) and (b) fall away
    2. (c) (i) Anglo-Boer War

      First World War

      Protesting Burghers

      1. (ii) Anglo-Boer War— 9 cases

        First World War — 567 cases

        Protesting Burghers — 20 cases.

 HOUSE OF DELEGATES

†Indicates translated version.

For written reply:

General Affairs:

Port Natal Division: murder victims 36. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

  1. (1) How many cases of murder involving (a) White (i) male and (ii) female (aa) adults and (bb) children and (b) Indian (i) male and (ii) female (aa) adults and (bb) children as victims were reported in the Port Natal Division of the South African Police during the latest specified period of three years for which figures are available;
  2. (2) how many of these cases in each specified category (a) were (i) investigated and (ii) solved by the (aa) Durban murder and robbery squad and (bb) local district police and (b) remained unsolved as at the latest specified date for which information is available;
  3. (3) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

(1) to (3)

Crime statistics are kept in respect of police station areas and do not indicate the race, sex and age of the murder victims.

Murder cases are usually investigated by the detective branches of the various police stations in whose station areas the murders were committed. If specialized assistance is required, the Murder and Robbery Squad of Durban is used for this purpose. However, separate records of such instances are not kept.

The question of the honourable member in its present form can therefore not be answered.

 Drugs confiscated 68. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

What was the (a) mass or number of units and (b) value of the (i) dagga, (ii) LSD, (iii) heroin, (iv) cocaine, (v) Mandrax and (vi) other drugs confiscated by the South African Police in Reservoir Hills, Newlands, Asherville, Overport and Sydenham, respectively, in the 1987 calendar year?

 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

RESERVOIR HILLS

(a)

(b)

(i) Dagga

2 kg

R2000,00

(ii) LSD

257 tablets

R2 570,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

NEWLANDS

(i) Dagga

5 kg

R5 000,00

(ii) LSD

245,5 tablets

R2 455,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

ASHERVILLE

(i) Dagga

1 000 grams

R1 000,00

(ii) LSD

10 tablets

R100,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

OVERPORT

(i) Dagga

397 grams

R 397,00

(ii) LSD

225 tablets

R2 250,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

SYDENHAM

(i) Dagga

210 kg

R201 397,00

(ii) LSD

1 000 tablets

R10 000,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

Vesperax 39¼ tablets

R932,50
Drugs confiscated 69. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

What was the (a) mass or number of units and (b) value of the (i) dagga, (ii) LSD, (iii) heroin, (iv) cocaine,(v) Mandrax and (vi) other drugs confiscated by the South African Police in Phoenix, Verulam, Tongaat and Stanger, respectively, in the 1987 calendar year?

 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

PHOENIX

(a)

(b)

(i) Dagga

18 kg 245 g

R18 245 000,00

(ii) LSD

94 tablets

R940,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

Vesperax 12 tablets

R920,00

VERULAM

(i) Dagga

5,341 g

R5 000,00

(ii) LSD

none

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

TONGAAT

(i) Dagga

1 154 g

R1 154,00

(ii) LSD

55 tablets

R550,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

STANGER

(i) Dagga

123 kg 373 g

R123 373,00

(ii) LSD

17 tablets

R170,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

Drugs confiscated 70. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

What was the (a) mass or number of units and (b) value of the (i) dagga, (ii) LSD, (iii) heroin, (iv) cocaine, (v) Mandrax and (vi) other drugs confiscated by the South African Police in Lenasia in the 1987 calendar year?

 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:
  1. (a) and (b) (i) to (vi) None.
 Drugs confiscated 71. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

What was the (a) mass or number of units and (b) value of the (i) dagga, (ii) LSD, (iii) heroin, (iv) cocaine, (v) Mandrax and (vi) other drugs confiscated by the South African Police in Chatsworth, Merebank and Isipingo, respectively, in the 1987 calendar year?

 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

CHATSWORTH

(a)

(b)

(i) Dagga

88,069 kg

R88 096 000,00

(ii) LSD

2 094,5

tablets

R20 945,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

Vesperax 49 tablets

R490,00

MEREBANK

(i) Dagga

8 kg

R8 000,00

(ii) LSD

none

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

ISIPINGO

(i) Dagga

2,5 kg

R2 500,00

(ii) LSD

120 tablets

R1 200,00

(iii) Heroin

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

(v) Mandrax

none

(vi) Other

none

Drugs confiscated 72. Mr K CHETTY

asked the Minister of Law and Order:

What was the (a) mass or number of units and (b) value of the (i) dagga, (ii) LSD, (iii) heroin,(iv) cocaine, (v) Mandrax and (vi) other drugs confiscated by the South African Police in Laudium in the 1987 calendar year?

 The MINISTER OF LAW AND ORDER:

LAUDIUM

(a)

(b)

(i) Dagga

2 177 g

R2 177,00

(ii) LSD

none

none

(iii) Heroin

none

none

(iv) Cocaine

none

none

(v) Mandrax

1 944 tablets

R23 328,00

(vi) Other

none

none