Calls intensify for SAPS overhaul as violence grips South Africa. Picture: GCIS
Durban — Crime rates in South Africa have reached alarming levels, prompting urgent calls for swift and comprehensive reforms by the Independent Policing Union of SA (Ipusa).
The union reacted to recent incidents, including the tragic mass shootings in Kanana, North West, which claimed at least 8 lives.
The massacre evoked memories of the widespread violence during the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, when about 400 lives were lost and billions in business infrastructure was destroyed.
The SAPS fail the people in times of crisis, Ipusa president Nepthal Nkuna said, highlighting concerns raised by the SA Human Rights Commission with regards to potential similar incidents this year. In July 2023, numerous cargo trucks destined for harbours were set ablaze, shocking the business community and citizens alike.
According to Ipusa, South Africa loses an average of 85 lives daily to criminal activities, with vulnerable groups such as women, children, and people living with disabilities being increasingly targeted.
Gender-based violence, femicide, car hijackings, and ransom kidnappings are on the rise, it said, instilling widespread fear and prompting many to turn to private security due to perceived deficiencies in the SAPS.
The recent discovery of a military training camp in Mpumalanga, where 95 individuals of Libyan origin were arrested for illegal residence, drug possession, and possession of illicit firearms, further underscores the SAPS’s challenges in combating crime effectively, it said.
Ipusa urged Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to expedite reforms aimed at bolstering SAPS leadership, enhancing technological capabilities across police stations, and strengthening district policing structures to respond swiftly to emerging threats.
It emphasised the need for every police station to implement daily operational checks and underscored the importance of decentralising policing efforts.
“The current policing model is inadequate,” Nkuna said, citing delays in detecting the military camp in Mpumalanga as evidence.
“Our communities play a crucial role in alerting authorities to such threats.”
The union also raised concerns about South Africa becoming a haven for transnational organised crime, including terrorism, and referred to past allegations of terrorist activity and recent reports linking some South Africans to Isis funding.
As South Africa faces mounting security challenges, Ipusa’s demand for urgent police reforms resonates with public calls for safety and accountability. The efficacy of the SAPS in protecting citizens and upholding national sovereignty seemingly hangs in the balance, and there is a demand for decisive action from government.
Ministry of Police spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said they were implementing measures to enhance public safety and reduce violent crime, gender-based violence, and femicide.
The SAPS was placing strong emphasis on community mobilisation and increased police visibility through strategic partnerships, she said. This approach aligned with the integrated crime and violence prevention strategy, demonstrated through recent stakeholder engagements. The meetings aimed to gather community insights and reinforce collaborative safety efforts.
“Amid calls from the Independent Policing Union of SA for comprehensive police reforms, the ministry plans to ‘increase our workforce by training 10 000 recruits annually’, focusing resources on visible policing to address community needs effectively.”
Mogotsi emphasised that the “strengthening of specialised units” and “modernising the police service through enhanced technology”, would also help combat organised crime and ensure national security.
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