Dr. Reneva Fourie
THE National Policing Summit, held from 8 to 10 April, under the theme ‘Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential’ aimed to strengthen the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) efforts to become modern, responsive and community-focused.
The summit tackled important issues: the necessary balance between police visibility and investigating crime, the imperative of adapting the service to a rapidly changing policing landscape, and the critical role of technology in fostering a safer society.
While such summits typically produce commendable outcomes on paper, focusing on the concrete actions that will follow thereafter is essential.
The Joslin Smith trial serves as a stark reminder that murder, trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion have entrenched themselves in South Africa’s criminal underworld.
Syndicates involved in the illegal drug trade, the construction mafia, and even acts of sabotage against water infrastructure, among others, are thriving in an environment where policing efforts are seemingly hampered by bureaucratic inertia.
These syndicates operate as sophisticated, well-connected networks that effectively circumvent security protocols and evade accountability due to weakened institutional oversight and a fragmented justice system.
According to Interpol and UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), South Africa is a key hub for human trafficking in Africa, both as a destination and transit country. Children are exploited in domestic servitude, sex work, and forced labour, often with minimal intervention.
The construction mafia – organised groups that resort to violence to claim a share of construction projects – has effectively paralysed billions of rands in infrastructure development.
The ramifications include substantial project delays, escalating expenditures, and a detrimental effect on capital inflow into the real estate sector.
According to a 2022 report from the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors, at least 183 infrastructure and construction projects, collectively valued at over R63 billion, were disrupted by these criminal activities in 2019 alone.
Equally alarming is the sabotage of water infrastructure, a relatively new but growing trend. In provinces like Gauteng and Limpopo, reports of deliberate contamination and equipment vandalism are increasing. This form of economic sabotage directly undermines essential services, compromising the health and dignity of millions.
No one can deny that a plethora of ideas and good recommendations emerge from these summits.
However, the gap between dialogue and action is stark. Reports indicate that while SAPS’s articulated goals include increasing professionalism and skill within its workforce, these goals become difficult to achieve in the face of inadequate resources and dire working conditions.
The discussion regarding harnessing technology for improved policing is undoubtedly a constructive element. Data analytics, surveillance, and community reporting applications offer promising pathways to more effective law enforcement.
However, the commitment to digital transformation occurs when several precincts still lack basic tools such as reliable patrol vehicles, internet connectivity, and even essential stationery for their daily operations.
A 2022 SAPS Organisational Climate Survey revealed that a significant number of police officers feel unsupported and demoralised.
They argue that their conditions of service do not reflect the risks they face daily. When officers lack even basic tools it becomes evident that their ability to uphold the law with the required diligence and enthusiasm is severely compromised.
Moreover, the general public sentiment complicates matters further. There are high levels of ambivalence, if not outright hostility, from some citizens towards law enforcement. The cultural milieu in which SAPS operates is fraught with challenges, including an inadequate patriotic sentiment among citizens.
Reports have documented instances where community members defend criminals or purchase stolen goods, creating a toxic environment that undermines and delegitimises law enforcement.
Public engagement in community safety has diminished, giving way to cynicism and mistrust. A 2024 Afrobarometer survey indicated that only about one-third (32%) of South Africans say they trust the police, while over 70% suspect the police are involved in some corrupt activities.
Only about 24% of the population views the police force as always operating professionally, and a mere 10% believe that government efforts effectively tackle crime.
This cultural dilemma is compounded by the perception that many leaders in South Africa are entangled in scandals, further eroding trust between the police and the communities they serve. Research conducted by the Institute for Security Studies indicated that the integrity and accountability of leadership significantly influence community trust in law enforcement.
When those at the top are perceived as corrupt or ineffective, it reverberates throughout the ranks of law enforcement and erodes public confidence.
Trust is particularly eroded by glaring political interference as it severely compromises the operational independence of the SAPS. The Constitution is unambiguous on this matter – Sections 205 and 206 delineate the roles of the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner, explicitly prohibiting the Minister from issuing operational instructions to the police.
Yet, this boundary is routinely blurred, subjecting the police to undue pressure from both national and provincial political figures.
At the provincial level, MECs for Community Safety increasingly attempt to assert control over police functions, often seeking to carve out personal fiefdoms in violation of their oversight mandate.
Calls by some political parties to decentralise policing further threaten to fragment law enforcement in a country already contending with disjointed municipal police structures. This balkanisation directly contradicts the Constitution’s vision of a single police service.
Policing summits provide a platform for dialogue, policy formulation, and knowledge sharing.
However, their outcomes are often confined to glossy reports and forgotten once the media spotlight dims. Year after year, similar resolutions are passed, only for corruption, crime and inefficiency to continue unabated.
South Africa does not lack vision. It lacks the leadership required to transform vision into reality. To restore integrity and effectiveness, policing must be shielded from political agendas.
The National Commissioner must rigorously defend the constitutional boundary, and oversight bodies like IPID must assertively push against political overreach.
A seamless, politically neutral integration of services is not optional but imperative. With exemplary leadership, our police officers will be proud to wear their uniforms, not because of pay cheques, but because they feel part of something larger than themselves.
* Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.