The Gauteng government has announced that it wants to work with technology companies and innovators to help fight rising crime.
Gauteng recorded 1 556 murders between January and March 2023.
Speaking at the Huawei Eco-Connect Sub-Saharan Africa 2023 conference in Sandton on Thursday, Premier Panyaza Lesufi warned: “If we can’t fight crime, it will be the end of us all in this province.”
He added: “We must ensure that we use the technology that is available and ensure that we push back crime in our province.”
Premier Lesufi implored technology companies to join the Gauteng government in the fight against crime.
“We need ideas. We need innovation to fight crime together and I am ready to put my last pound into the best innovation, the most creative technology in the country so that we can fight crime together,” Premier Lesufi said.
“We want your institutions, companies, whatever you have that will assist us fight crime, lawlessness, and corruption in our province.
“I am raising my hand. I am ready to do business with you, not tomorrow but now, so that we can change the status quo in our province.”
Premier Lesufi said a better, and safer, Gauteng was ahead.
“Let’s hold each other together and build this powerful province of ours. It starts with fighting crime,” he said.
Premier Lesufi said in the end, there will be opportunities, jobs and revenue in your bank accounts.
“We need your support. Let us stick together so that a better, safer Gauteng can emerge. When it emerges, we will all benefit,” he said.
The conference, which is Huawei’s flagship event in sub-Saharan Africa, brought together thousands of executives, international business innovators, industry thought leaders and partners under the theme “Leading Digital for New Value Together”.
Premier Lesufi told delegates that there are two crucial provinces in South Africa, Gauteng and the Western Cape.
“If we can’t create jobs and economic opportunities, our country will not progress,” the Gauteng premier said.
He said he had come to the conference to proclaim that: “We want Gauteng to become a digital economy of our country”.
“We have laid the foundation, the resources and everything we need to ensure that we migrate this beautiful province from the mining industry that established this province to a new economic power that we will call digital power.
“This digital power must create jobs and opportunities. This digital power must leave no one behind. It must be capable and ready to bring everyone on board.”
Premier Lesufi said the Gauteng government was fighting crime and will use all available resources to secure the future of the province and the country.
He said crime was the biggest enemy in the country ahead of COVID -19, load-shedding and the shortage of skilled labour.
“So I want to declare to all of you, the business people and everyone who is here, that I am putting my money where my mouth is,” said Premier Lesufi.
“We were running the Department of Community Safety in our province with a budget of R700 million annually in the last three years.
“Since we took office in the last nine months, we have increased that budget of our police budget to R4.7 billion this year and we want to increase it to R8 billion next year.”
The Premier said the budget will be used by Gauteng Province to go high-tech.
Premier Lesufi showcased his grand crime-fighting plan, which he first unveiled in February during his inaugural State of the Province address.
The ambitious multi-billion plan will see suburbs, townships, business districts, schools and other public places equipped with high-tech surveillance systems with facial and vehicle recognition.
It will consist of e-Panic buttons linked to our law enforcement agencies, CCTVs and our new state-of-the-art Integrated Command Centre.
Premier Lesufi said yesterday that the Gauteng government has already purchased six state-of-the-art helicopters that will monitor everything that happens in Gauteng.
Last month, the province introduced new crime-fighting prevention wardens, known as amaPanyaza’
“We can’t tolerate this high number of crimes in our province.”
