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Department: Community Safety 1.7 Aligning departmental budgets to achieve government%u2019s prescribed outcomes The Provincial Medium Term Development Plan (P-MTDP) 2025-2030 provides the framework to implement the three strategic priorities of the government and the department contributes to Strategic Priority 3: A Capable, Ethical and Developmental State. The province identified amongst other priority focus %u201cSocial Cohesion, moral regeneration, community safety and GBV%u201d to be coordinated by the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster. Key interventions to be addressed by JCPS cluster focus on the following: %u2022 Social cohesion and nation-building initiatives %u2022 GBVF Provincial response %u2022 Integrated Sanitary Dignity Programme %u2022 Justice Safety and Protection The province has adopted the Provincial Safety Strategy to improve the safety of the people of the Eastern Cape through a coordinated and integrated plan to prevent crime and violence. The Provincial Safety Strategy advocates for a collaboration between state and non-state actors in promoting safety. The department plays a lead role in the implementation of the PSS through MultiSectoral Steering Committee. This strategy is framed through 6 Pillars to support the implementation of the White Paper on Safety and Security namely: %u2022 An Effective Criminal Justice System %u2022 Early Intervention to Prevent Crime and Violence %u2022 Victim Support %u2022 Effective and Integrated Service Delivery for Safety, Security and Violence %u2022 Safety Through Environmental Design %u2022 Active Public and Community Participation The department%u2019s vision and mission were also revised to reflect our desired end state, which is %u201ccommunities are and feel safe%u201d. In order to achieve this, the department has prioritised building capacity of our organisation to set in a concerted focus on impact; continued contribution to enhancing the effectiveness of the criminal justice system through active participation in the JCPS Cluster; the utilisation of research to benchmark best practices on policing approaches; improving the relationship between communities and the police; strengthening monitoring and oversight; and striving to become a centre of excellence with respect to policing policies and strategies. The departmental budget for 2025 MTEF was prepared by prioritising policy imperatives for the development and implementation of programmes that contribute to realise the vision of Safe Eastern Cape with active and cohesive citizenry. 1.8 Budget decisions The Consumer Price Index (CPI) on budget circular was used as a basis to inform general increases for non-personnel expenditure items. Whilst the department has budgeted for the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) on personnel in 2024/25 financial year, sufficient provision has also made for the estimated CPI and Pay Progression of 1.5 per cent for 2025 MTEF baselines. Moreover, the budget decisions, to a larger extent, is also influenced by a number of interventions to be implemented in response to the increase of criminal activities across the province. Generally, the departmental budget is responding to the community mobilisation of the society against crime in partnership with other organs of the state as well as the partnership with other stakeholders. 862