Grim reality calls for shift in priorities: SA records over 80 murders, over 130 rapes daily

South Africa’s Police Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Ian Cameron, has called for a decrease in VIP protection for ministers and public officials, citing the country’s high crime rate and the need to allocate resources more effectively.

This comes after Cameron revealed that South Africa’s crime crisis has reached alarming proportions, with over 80 people murdered and over 130 raped every day, according to police statistics.

This grim reality has prompted Cameron, to call for a shift in priorities and a reevaluation of the country’s policing strategy.

The numbers paint a bleak picture of a country plagued by violence and crime. With an average of 85 murders per day, South Africa’s murder rate is among the highest in the world.

The rape statistics are equally disturbing, with 135 minimum cases reported daily. This translates to a staggering 49,725 at minimum rapes and 31,025 murders per year.

Speaking to Newsroom Afrika on Tuesday, Cameron reacted to the new police minister’s briefing which took place on Monday. In the briefing, Senzo Mchunu promised an overhaul of the police management system.

Budget allocation criticised

Cameron expressed concern that the budget allocation prioritizes VIP protection over essential policing services, such as supporting detectives and police wellness.

“It’s not a massive increase compared to previous budgets, but there is still an increase. Now, I say that there should actually be a decrease, and we should rather use that money to give ordinary South Africans a chance to have fair and proper policing that they haven’t had for so many years,” Cameron said.

The chairperson made examples of certain townships in dire need of improvement in policing, such as Emfuleni in Cape Town and Tembisa in Ekurhuleni.

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He said an increase in the quality of policing in the aforementioned areas would be achievable if VIP protection for ministers and public officials would be cut.

Cameron said he didn’t believe that VIP protection needed that much funding.

“Something that I also think should be encouraged is that the relevant threat assessments are done to determine whether certain so-called VIPs need the protection that they are getting and that it’s not just a status symbol,” Cameron added.

Police overburdened and underfunded

He said police wellness and specialised units were not getting the attention that they ought to get. Further adding that police or crime detection rates were not allocated to the relevant budget.

Cameron emphasised that police officers are overburdened, with an average of 300 dockets each, and that the 5% increase in funding for detectives is insufficient.

With more people opting for private security rather than state policing, this has highlighted the resourcefulness and preparedness of private companies. At times the police themselves have often contacted private security for help with crime in certain situations.

Cameron suggested that public-private partnerships could help bridge the gap in the state’s fight against crime, at least in the short term.

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Improved training and police protection need

Cameron highlighted the need for improved internal training systems and police protection, particularly for off-duty officers investigating high-priority crimes.

Moreover, he reiterated the need for an improved internal training system, highlighting the Phillipe Training College in Cape Town and its notorious corruption scandals.

“For over six years the place wasn’t audited, so we can’t expect to train decent police officers and to do in-service training when the training institution itself is not fit for purpose,” he said.

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With police killings becoming a growing trend in the country, Cameron said what Mchunu said about police murders being an attack on the state, was not necessarily a change in legislation and has always been existent.

“I think existing legislation just needs to be implemented properly.

“We don’t have the specialised capacity to hunt down whoever the killers are. I’m worried about the fact that so many off-duty police officers get killed especially detectives investigating high-priority crimes,” he said.

Kidnappings on the rise

South Africa is on the list of kidnapping-for-ransom hotspots. The county was ranked sixth globally based on the increasing prevalence of kidnappings.

In the 2022/23 financial year, over 15 000 kidnappings were reported. The most targeted victims are high net high-net-worth individuals and their families.

He attributed the increase to the trading of foreign business people with large amounts of money and the lack of faith in the state’s ability to address the issue.

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“Often ransom is paid because of the loss of faith in the state to actually do something,” Cameron said.

He added that he hoped the increase in kidnapping rates being busted would continue, and shared concern about South Africa passing Mexico in kidnapping cases.

However, Cameron also highlighted hijackings where the hijacker would later drop off the victim. Though these are not kidnappings for ransom, he noted the need to include them when counting kidnappings in the ocuntry.