WRITTEN QUESTION E-3227/02

by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 November 2002)

Subject: State of implementation of development cooperation projects for police cooperation with South Africa

In the context of the severe problems afflicting the African continent and, in particular, the entire subcontinental region of southern Africa, the new democratic South Africa, free as it now is from inhuman systems of racial segregation, is a crucial factor for stability and development and a proof that there is an alternative to poverty, civil war, dictatorship, corruption and bad governance.

At present South Africa is suffering from considerable problems to which the EU and the international community cannot remain indifferent. These include the huge incidence of AIDS, alarming unemployment levels and economic stagnation, as well as the disturbingly high crime figures.

These alarming crime levels are now reaching tragic proportions, not only for the South Africans themselves but also for the European emigrant communities in South Africa.

South Africa would obviously have a hard task to overcome these difficulties were it not for the support and solidarity of the international community, in which the EU's role is vital, given that the Union and its Member States together account for 70 % of all international aid to South Africa.

In the field of this cooperation, projects are currently being implemented with the direct objective of developing and improving security standards in South Africa (project for organisational and institutional support for the police services in South Africa EUR 18,5 million; project in support of the reform of the legal system EUR 25 million; project to assist policing in Eastern Cape province EUR 10,8 million).

The Commission:

1. Can it provide information on the (physical and financial) state of implementation of the projects referred to in the previous paragraph and their expected impact on the improvement of security conditions in South Africa?

2. Does it intend to further develop these projects and extend them to other parts of South Africa? Are there plans to design and launch new projects in this area?

3. Has it adopted any of the recommendations made by Parliament in its most recent resolution on the situation in South Africa, and if so, which?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2002)

1. Regarding the intended impact of the Community development programmes referred to on safety and security, the main objective is the improvement of delivery of services by the South African Police Service (hereafter SAPS) and other relevant Criminal Justice Departments to the vulnerable communities in South Africa. In addition, the programmes aim to improve access to the Justice system, prevention of crime as well as the development and implementation of policies related to the fight against crime more broadly e.g. a national anti-Rape Strategy and developing policies in support of Gun-free zones.

The programmes also support improvement of the investigative capacity of the SAPS by assisting in the development of DNA Criminal Database that will enable the use of DNA profiling to link suspected criminals to crimes committed. This will also be of benefit in relation to sexual offences like rape and child abuse.

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2. The Commission, in partnership with the SAPS, has developed a new EUR 25 million Proposal (co-funded by the British Department for International Development) that will focus on support to the policing of crimes against women and children in the Eastern Cape province. Replicating parts of this programme in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province is a possibility and is foreseen in the Country Strategy Paper for 2003/2005. The strength of this programme is its preventative nature and strong links to reducing the levels of violence in South African homes. This is expected to impact on future levels of crime in the country through addressing issues of domestic violence one of the root causes of social instability.

3. As explained above and in line with Parliamentary recommendations, the Commission confirms its intention to continue co-operation with the Criminal Justice sector, as foreseen in the Country Strategy Paper 2003/05, emphasising service delivery improvement, crime prevention in relation to vulnerable groups, community involvement and increased accountability of the Criminal Justice sector.