The recent crime statistics for the third quarter of 2021/2022 should be enough reason for the President to fire the National Commissioner and the Minister of Police. Compared to the second quarter (July 2021 – September 2021) there is nothing that the SAPS can be proud of.
Rape cases have increased with an alarming 18,40% in this period, from 9 556 to 11 315. The battle against GBVF is also being lost if you look at the shocking figures of violence against women and children in the period from October to December 2021. 902 women and 352 children were murdered in only three months. That’s an 18% increase in child murders since September 2021. Attempted murder against women increased with 7% and assault GBH with an alarming 25%. Children have also been subjected to more violence in this reporting period with a 28% increase on attempted murder cases being reported. Clearly, the SAPS are failing the most vulnerable citizens of our country.
“Sitole and Cele should be sacked together. South Africans deserve a SAPS that is above suspicion and that serves and protects. Both Sitole and Cele have previously been implicated in corruption scandals and should never have been, or ever be allowed, to hold a position in public office. The fact that almost 10 women are murdered every day in South Africa should be an indication that the SAPS leadership is failing,” states Ian Cameron, spokesperson for Action Society.
Action Society has been actively advocating for the dismissal of both Cele and Sitole. The organisation still holds its position that an external panel of policing experts should be appointed to restructure the entire police management according to merit and not political affiliation. This committee should be made up of individuals that understand what it means to work through the ranks but also have the necessary theoretical knowledge in order to determine who should be the National Commissioner, deputy commissioner, divisional commissioners, their deputies and other top provincial positions.
It also came to light, during recent oversight inspections of SAPS facilities, conducted as part of a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Legislature programme, the crumbling state and virtual collapse of police stations in this province.
During the two-day visits, it was established that some SAPS stations in KZN do not have any vehicles or officers to respond to crime. Other stations visited were found to be completely uninhabitable, with massive infrastructure challenges.
“It’s not just the the SAPS in KZN which is in a complete state of collapse ̶ this is a national problem ̶ which once again comes down to mismanagement and incompetent leadership within the SAPS,” Cameron continued.
“If the South African Police Services is not restructured, appointments made according to merit and ANC cadre deployment stopped, South African communities will experience unprecedented violence in the coming years. It must be a professional service and not a political one.”
ISSUED BY: Action Society
DATE: 18 February 2022
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Ian Cameron
Spokesperson: Action Society
Cell: 073 388 0474
or
Kelly Baloyi
Spokesperson: Action Society
Cell: 084 742 9399
