SAPS budget to focus on core goods and services

Police minister Bheki Cele tabled his budget breakdown on Thursday, with aims to mitigate the impact of budget reductions on service delivery over the medium term for police services.

Cele said the expenditure in his department was expected to decrease at an average annual rate of 0.8%, from R99.6-billion in 2020/21 to R97.1-billion in 2023/24.

The South African Police Service tabled budget for this financial year amounted to R96-billion; with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate allocation amounting to R348-million and the department of the civilian secretariat for police service getting R149-million.

Cele said already compensation of employees was R225.9-billion of the department’s expenditure.

“To remain within government’s expenditure ceiling for compensation of employees, the department’s budget for this item is reduced by R35.8-billion over the medium term.

“Of this, R15.9-billion is in line with the decision not to implement the third year of the 2018 public sector wage agreement, and freezing of salary increases for the next three years.

“These reductions are a continuation of reductions introduced during 2020, which have material negative impact on the human resource priorities of the SAPS, essentially as far as the enlistment of entry-level police officers are concerned.

“As a result of this, personnel numbers over the medium term will require reconsideration in terms of options that will ensure that the department continues to achieve its mandate and to maintain service delivery at local level.”

He said other reductions would mainly be affected on non-core goods and services items.

Cele said the reductions in the compensation of employees’ budget, required reprioritisation of police resources as well as investment in technology.

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He said the SAPS during the 2021/22 financial year, envisaged that approximately 3 000 vacancies would be considered for filling by the recruitment of new police officers.

“A process will be embarked upon where public service act personnel and current serving reservists will be considered for recruitment as fully-fledged police officials.”

He said 2 000 public service act personnel and 1 000 current serving reservists would be targeted.

Cele said the budget would focus on professionalising the police service through skills development; investing in machinery and equipment, such as transport assets as well as mobile police stations, focus on critical items such as bullet-resistant vests, firearms and uniform.

“These are critical tools of the trade for police to successfully render their duties.”

He said visible policing would take 51% of the weight of the total 2021/22 budget.

He said the SAPS department had also concluded a memorandum of understanding with Wits university to provide accredited training to CPFs through a Sasseta funded programme.

He said the training would equip CPF members to support policing and crime prevention initiatives.

“It is envisaged that 80 people will be trained as trainers to train members of the CPF across the country in 2021/22 financial year.

“Regarding police visibility, the department will conduct a community satisfaction survey to assess the level of satisfaction with police visibility and the perceptions of safety by citizens.”

Cele also said an establishment of specialised investigative capacities, such as the anti-gang, murder and robbery, as well as taxi violence units was approved in 2019.

Anti-gang units had been established in Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng and North West.

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