Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
12 November 2023 | 19:55 CAT

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The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service has called for comment on the Draft National Policing Policy. The draft policy document outlines the government’s broad plans to address the shortcomings of the SAPS, which has failed to stem the tide of increasingly violent crime in the country.

South Africa is characterised by high levels of crime due to a myriad of socioeconomic pressures, coupled with high-level corruption and extremely low levels of trust in the police service.

The SAPS is mired with internal corruption, low employee morale, negligence and ill-discipline, a lack of synergy with external crime prevention groups, poor allocation of resources and political interference.

Radio Islam International discussed the policy with Dear SA.com’s Rod Hutchinson.

Hutchinson said the policy is quite comprehensive and covers many aspects of policing in South Africa.

The key proposals are the four pillars of the issues that have been highlighted and include:

1. The creation of a professional and quality policing
2. The provision of efficient and effective policing service delivery
3. Improving the legitimacy and community-police trust relations
4. Building a strong and ethical leadership, management and
governance architecture.

“South Africa’s police force faces several major challenges including Low levels of public trust,” says Hutchinson.

According to the policy document, public trust in the police service has dropped to 26%. Other surveys have shown a decline in satisfaction levels to just 54%. Members of the public report having to pay bribes to get police services – and while this may be in the minority, there is a widely-held perception that the SAPS is corrupt.

Considering the challenges, the draft policy document makes some key proposals to turn the SAPS around.

Meanwhile, these proposals do not focus much on the “how” but on the vision for what could be.

To address public trust, the policy proposes that the SAPS adopt and promote community-centred policing, where the department works with community policing forums and builds better relations to fight crime and violence.

It also proposes the fast-tracking of advanced technology to aid in crime fighting while also strengthening specialised units within the force to take on violent crimes, commercial crimes, gender-based crimes and other “high risk” incidences.

However, “strong and ethical leadership” is underpinning all of this.

Submissions on the policy can be directed to  NPPsubmissions@csp.gov.za – the closing date for submissions is 30 November 2023.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Annisa Essack.