36/1/4/1/201200012

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 177
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17 FEBRUARY 2012

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 2- 2012)

Date reply submitted: 2 May 2012

177. Ms D Kohler-Barnard (DA) to ask the Minister of Police:

(1) (a) How many billboards were used in the recent SA Police Service (SAPS) Crime Stop Campaign, (b) for how long were they hired and (c) what were the costs of the (i) design, (ii) print, (iii) installation and (iv) hire of these billboards (see report);

(2) whether the artwork for the billboards were approved by senior SAPS management; if not, why not; if so, why were the management unable to correct the incorrect Crime Stop number before being printed on these boards;

(3) whether any steps were taken to rectify the number on these boards; if not, why not; if so, what (a) steps and (b) were the costs involved;

(4) whether any measures have been implemented to prevent such an oversight to recur; if not, why not; if so, what measures?

NW194E

REPLY:

(1)(a) 58 Billboards were commissioned in respect of wanted persons communication drive as part of the safer festive season campaign for 2011/2012.

(1)(b) Billboards were hired for a period of two months and were to be flighted until 7 March on negotiated added value to maximize campaign exposure.

(1)(c) The total cost for the billboards was R740 000 all inclusive.

(2) The most critical aspect of the billboard campaign, mainly the visual elements of the creative concept with faces of the wanted persons, was approved by the management of the SAPS.

(3) When the incorrect publication of the Crime Stop number came to the attention of the SAPS steps were taken to rectify the number. The service provider was approached for this purpose, but due to the fact that the campaign life span was over already it was not regarded as cost effective to re-print the number.

(4) Compensation in the form of creative concepts at no cost to the SAPS for the next campaign to follow has been granted. Secondly, stringent measures will be put in place in future to ensure that a mishap like this one is avoided at all costs. The SAPS would like to apologize to the general public for the inconvenience that may have been caused by the incorrect publication of the Crime Stop number.

Reply to question 177 approved by the Minister

Issued by Parliament, May 2 2012

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