Saps’ declining accountability puts South Africans at risk

Given that a senior ANC comrade laid charges of intimidation with the cops against a Sunday Times journalist for asking questions, we worry that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu might want to have a go at us for wondering – as we do again today – about how he spends the police budget.

We reported this week that the national Public Order Policing Unit in Pretoria can’t do its job because it doesn’t have enough roadworthy vehicles.

Now, the portfolio committee on police is to summon Mchunu and national commissioner General Fannie Masemola to appear before parliament to explain the latest decision by Mchunu – to shut down the Inspectorate Analysis Centre and Service Complaints.

Committee chair Ian Cameron was baffled, because, as he put it, “the inspectorate is one of the more functional departments in the police and should be expanded, not disbanded”.

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Disbanding the unit will further compromise the already poor accountability framework within the SA Police Service.

When there is declining accountability in the police, cops start to think they are above the law – and many of them already believe this to be the case.

In an atmosphere like that, what chance do ordinary citizens have of getting justice?