Parliament - President Jacob Zuma has called on South Africans to do more to fight crime.
"Together we must do more to fight crime," said the President.
He said government will give the most serious attention to combating organized crime, as well as crimes against women and children.
The President explained that the department of Police was renamed as such, from the old Department of Safety and Security, to emphasise that government "wanted real operational energy in police work."
"This will contribute to the reduction of serious and violent crimes by the set target of 7% to 10% per annum."
A clear priority for government is to establish a transformed, integrated, modernised, properly-resourced and well-managed criminal justice system.
"It is also critically important to improve the efficiency of the courts and the performance of prosecutors and to enhance detective, forensic and intelligence services. This work has started in earnest, and it will be undertaken with new energy and vigour," said Mr Zuma.
Among the immediate targets will be to ensure that the number of prosecutors and Legal Aid Board personnel is increased. "We will do the same with police detectives."
In the past fifteen years, government has built a number of courts in rural areas to ensure easy access to justice for previously disadvantaged communities.
