CORRUPTION Watch and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) says despite resources doubling for the police, crime intelligence has deteriorated, detection of murder and robbery decreased, and visible policing dropped – a clear indication that better leadership and management is needed to make effective use of SAPS vast resources.
On Monday, the organisations released numbers that highlight the challenges of police leadership, as part of its campaign to change the way South Africa’s top cop and head of the Hawks are appointed.
According to the report titled Real police numbers behind high SA crime rate, many excellent police managers are not promoted or appointed to head SAPS or the Hawks for political reasons. The president is able to choose the national police commissioner entirely at his discretion and with no accountability.
The police leadership challenge is therefore political. The police can’t change it, but the president can and he has an immediate opportunity to radically improve policing in SA through the appointment of an experienced and ethical leader for the police. This would solve the long-standing crisis in police management and the deterioration in public safety.
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The report, also calls for a permanent SAPS national commissioner and head of the Hawks, who have to be appointed through a transparent and competitive process as recommended by the National Development Plan.
The posts are currently filled by people in an acting capacity. During Zuma’s term there have been four top cops (three SAPS Commissioners and one head of the Hawks) whose terms of office ended in disgrace.
“The high turn-over rate is due to many of these top cops responsible for South Africans’ safety being convicted of corruption, dismissed, suspended, found unfit or under investigation. If the individuals appointed as SAPS national commissioner and head of the Hawks were selected on merit through a transparent and competitive process, there would be little room for cronyism and appointment of the wrong person for political reasons. Both the police and public will benefit greatly,” the report stated.
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The statistics released showed that the percentage increase in the number of murders between 2011/12 and 2015/16 was up by 20 per cent. There were 3119 more murders in 2016 than 2011. This means that 50 people are murdered every day on average in South Africa. The number of armed robberies increased by 32 per cent, between 2011/12 and 2015/16 which translates into 365 armed attacks on our streets and in our homes every day on average. This is 88 more per day than was the case five years ago.
According to the two organisations, the current selection criteria for SA’s top cop are less rigorous than for the lowest rank of constable.Unlike the commissioner, they also need to be of sound character, have a matric, and to be physically and mentally fit.”
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