‘We don’t want them to die with the guns in their holsters’ – Mashatile defends police

Deputy president Paul Mashatile has expressed deep concern over the rising crime rates in the country, particularly in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

In a recent parliamentary question and answer session on Thursday, Mashatile emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to combating crime, involving not only the police but also communities and private security companies.

“In his ministerial statement on the 3rd of September 2024, Minister Mchunu, amongst others, stated that the four provinces, which are Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape, currently carry 73% of crime levels in South Africa; the gravity of these crimes alone, including extortions, is of serious concern to us over and above their concentration,” said Mashatile.

A reactive stance

Mashatile acknowledged that the police have been criticised for their reactive approach, often responding to incidents only after they have escalated.

He was responding to the uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) party’s member, Dr John Hlophe, and assured that the government is working on a comprehensive plan to address this.

“The fight against crime by the police must be intelligence-driven. And more resources must go to intelligence because we don’t want them to put more boots on the ground and they go into the dark,” he said.

The deputy president said he promised an increase in resources for intelligence and training more police officers.

“As you know, we’ll be training training 10 000 of them to add to the numbers. And we need this intelligence. So the comprehensive plan that we are finalising next Thursday is looking exactly at this matter.”

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Use of force: A delicate balance

Mashatile also addressed the issue of police using force, stating that while police are trained to protect, they must also be able to defend themselves in situations of violence.

“We train a lot of police; we give them guns, and we don’t want them to die with the guns in their holsters,” he said.

Mashatile encouraged police officers to use their guns if they found themselves toe-to-toe with armed criminals.

He emphasised that the government is reviewing legislation to ensure that police are not restricted from acting in such situations.

Bringing back experienced officers

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Inkosi Cebekhulu suggested rehiring experienced police officers, but Mashatile noted that many of these officers are now old and less active. Instead, he emphasised the need for proper training of new recruits.

Mashatile urged communities to work with the police to identify criminals and strengthen Community Police Forums (CPFs). He also called for a review of relevant legislation to ensure that police can act effectively in violent encounters.

“Criminals are humans who live in our communities, and residents know where they live. As a result, we urge all community members to inform the police of criminals’ whereabouts to enable them to promptly respond and arrest all criminal elements in our communities to avoid the current shootout between police and criminals,” he said.

The government’s comprehensive plan to combat crime is set to be finalised by September 12.

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