* ANC Today ANC Today, 31 August 2012* ** ** /Recommendations from the 4th ANC Policy Conference//on/ ** *Peace and Stability* ** ** _*Preamble*_
Whereas the Commission recognised that there has been significant progress in implementing the 52nd National Conference resolutions, however gaps remain in the full implementation of some resolutions. There was greater consensus that the thrust of the discussion document be endorsed by Plenary as recommendations of the policy Conference. The discussions in the commission went beyond issues covered by the discussion document
** _*Correctional Services*_ /The Commission noted that:/ * There is a high rate of recidivism as a result of the quality of the rehabilitation programmes and decisions of the parole boards; * Correcting offending behaviour is a societal responsibility /Therefore recommends that:/ * The capacity of the parole boards and case management committees be strengthened to ensure effective standard operating procedures and improve the quality of decisions. * There should be deliberate effort to involve the community in the social integration of former inmates. * The ANC should play a leading role in ensuring victim participation in parole process. * The ANC should mobilise communities to play a positive role in offender reintegration. ** _*Defence and Military Veterans*_ /The Commission noted that:/ * The 52nd National Conference resolved that a Military Veteran's Ministry should be established. * In compliance with the resolution, the Department of Military Veterans was subsequently established under the auspices of the newly reconfigured Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans. /Further Noted that:/ * Many of our fallen comrades remain buried outside the country thus causing concern from their loved ones and close fellow combatants. It is necessary that our comrades be exhumed, repatriated, and given a dignified burial becoming of their self-less sacrifice for freedom. * Many former MK members remain destitute, unemployed, poor, and do not receive much assistance from the state. * Some of these former members were demobilized from the SANDF with little safety nets for their survival. /Therefore recommends to Conference that:/ * The 52nd National Conference resolution on the establishment of a dedicated Ministry on Military Veterans should be fully implemented; * The ANC should assist in the exhumation and repatriation of comrades who are buried outside the country; * There should be programmes to uplift and attempt to reintegrate former MK members within the structures of the ANC and broader society in order to utilise the skills which they acquired in their training, particularly in politics and security /Further recommends that:/ * The state takes responsibility for the general wellbeing of Military Veterans. ** _*Justice and Constitutional Development*_ /The Commission noted that:/ * Newly appointed judges get assimilated by the dominant culture in the judiciary and hence not expedite transformation; * Black lawyers not being briefed sufficiently by the government impedes the development of black lawyers as future judges; * Some court jurisdictions are not aligned to municipal demarcations and as a result affect negatively access to justice; * Some Lawyers abuse the LOCUM system when acting as magistrates the effect thereof being unfair and unjust administration of justice; * There has been no comprehensive approach by the ANC to traditional leaders in general and the Traditional Courts Bill in particular; /Believing that / * The principle of separation of powers means that we should discourage the encroachment of one arm of the state on the constitutional terrain of another, and that there must no bias in this regard /Therefore recommends to Conference that:/ * The ANC reaffirms the position that the branches of the state are co-equal parties entrusted with distinct constitutional powers in their quest to realise the ideals of a democratic South Africa. Each branch of the state must therefore observe the constitutional limits on its own power and authority and that no branch is superior to others in its service of the Constitution. * There should be holistic criteria for eligibility to judicial appointment which include amongst others social activism; * Government should strengthen briefing black lawyers so as to acquaint them with defending the state and not individuals, thus creating a pool for potential judges; * In order to facilitate access to justice, court jurisdictions should be aligned to municipal demarcation as much as it is reasonably possible; * The LOCUM system regarding lawyers should be regulated to eliminate its abuse; ** *_Home Affairs_* /The Commission noted that:/ * The existence of undocumented migrants poses both an economic and security threat to the country. * There is empirical evidence that the majority of asylum seekers do not comply with international legal requirements for refugee status and protection. * The cross-departmental responsibility and competencies for border management creates duplication of tasks and weak data collection and control. * There are challenges relating to legislation regulating access to citizenship by foreign nationals /Further noted that:/ * There is a need to balance the inward flow of low skilled labour with the negative impact it has on domestic employment /Therefore recommends that:/ * Government should consider a policy on centres for asylum seekers during consideration of status; * There should be awareness programs to combat xenophobia and educate society against narrow nationalism; * A comprehensive national security strategy to secure national key points; should be developed. * Home Affairs should take a lead in the border management agency as a department which is seized with immigration issues Criminalise the defrauding of the national identity and provide for the offense to be treated as treasonable offence; * ANC branches should be involved in Stakeholder Forums of the Department as demonstration of the people governing as per the Freedom Charter;* The commission endorsed the need for a single national identify system which will contain a profile of all South Africans and
foreign nationals * The defrauding of national identify should be a treasonable offence. ** _*Police*_ /The Commission noted that:/ * The ANC resolved in 1994 to establish a single Police Service, * This resolution has not been implemented. /Therefore recommends that:/ * The implementation of this resolution should be accelerated. * The command and control should be centralized under the National Commissioner of police. * Training should be standardized to foster uniformity and consistency throughout the Republic. * Rules governing oversight should be applicable to Metro, Municipal and Traffic Police. /Further recommends that:/ * Street Committees should be established and controlled by the ANC as they are part of the ANC crime fighting strategy and are best placed led by the ANC branches. ** *_The Commission further recommends that_: * * The transformation of the security departments has in the main been trammelled by the middle management that continues to resist change and targets progressive personnel for dismissal. * Tools of transformation and employment equity should be directed at transforming the middle management of security structures; * Having noted with great concern the upsurge in rhino poaching and the detrimental effects thereof to our ecology, environment, and tourism; the commission therefore recommends that harsher sentences be handed down on those convicted of this crime. * Over and above the recommendation to put in place a National Security Strategy, the Commission proposes that National Key Points be secured by National Security Agencies. *From: **http://www.anc.org.za/docs/anctoday/2012/at34.htm#art3* -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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