DA accuses Saps of ‘dismissive attitude, rudeness, and lack of empathy’ at police stations

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng on Wednesday called for an urgent overhaul of client services at South African Police Service (Saps) stations across the province.

According to DA Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety, Michael Sun, this followed the party’s oversight inspections of several police stations, where poor service delivery and deteriorating infrastructure were identified.

Saps Gauteng spokesperson had not responded to questions by The Citizen at the time of publishing. The comment will be published once received.

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Poor service and unprofessional conduct

Sun claimed that the stations visited revealed a decline in service delivery.

“Complaints of dismissive attitudes, rudeness, and a lack of empathy by Saps members are rampant. This fosters distrust and discourages residents, particularly victims of crime, from seeking help,” he said.

The DA’s inspection identified delays in case investigations, poor follow-up on crimes and inadequate resources.

“There are chronic delays in finalising cases and inconsistent resource allocation; for example, shortages of vehicles and forensic tools are also crippling service delivery,” Sun added.

According to Sun, many police stations were found to be in a state of disrepair, with broken equipment, overcrowded waiting areas, and inadequate facilities for vulnerable groups, such as facilities for survivors of gender-based violence.

“These conditions are unsuitable for public service,” Sun said, calling for urgent upgrades to police station facilities to ensure they are conducive to both officers and the public.

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Proposed reforms

Sun stated that the DA-led provincial government would propose a series of interventions, including mandatory customer service training, to provide “professionalism, empathy, and trauma-informed care for victims”.

“We will allocate dedicated provincial funding to repair police stations, upgrade IT systems, and create dignified, accessible spaces for residents, such as private reporting rooms,” he said.

The DA also suggested implementing digital crime reporting platforms, real-time case tracking systems, and e-dockets to improve transparency and reduce administrative delays.

“These initiatives would begin with a straightforward tidying up of the police stations, making them welcoming and accessible for Saps personnel and the public. This does not necessitate large budgets, but the willingness from staff and management to treat the residents of Gauteng with the dignity they deserve,” Sun concluded.

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