President Cyril Ramaphosa said the seventh administration’s police ministry will tackle priority crimes such as illegal mining, gang violence, cash-in-transit heists and the construction mafia, through specialised police units.
Ramaphosa said his administration will also deploy modern technology to combat crime.
The president was speaking on Thursday night during the Opening of Parliament (OPA) joint sitting of the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) at the Cape Town City Hall.
He used the session to outline the seventh administration’s plans and priorities.
Crime and corruption
The Opening of Parliament is a platform where the government’s vision and priorities are presented. This sets the tone for the legislative and administrative actions that will follow.
“To tackle crime and corruption, we must have capable, sophisticated and independent law enforcement agencies that can fight complex and organised crime. We will deploy modern technology to assist crime fighting.
“A data-driven approach will be used to identify violent crime hotspots. To also inform the allocation of policing resources alongside prevention measures.
“…We will continue to tackle priority crimes like illegal mining, gang violence, cash-in transit heists. Including the construction mafia, through specialised police units.
“We will continue to implement the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. And expand victim support services, like the Thuthuzela Centres and GBV desks in police stations,” said Ramaphosa.
Earlier this week, new police minister Senzo Mchunu detailed his ministry’s plans. He said his ministry has prioritised dealing with gang violence and construction mafias. Reviewing the private security industry legislation will also be prioritised. This is aimed at removing illegal firearms from the streets.
Mchunu said crime levels in the country are increasing and intolerable. He said they are worsened by leading crimes such as murders and rape. Also hijackings and kidnappings for ransom payments.
He said the killing of women and children also continues to be cause for serious concern. It warrants intensive action from law enforcement.
Mchunu said his ministry wants to curb the phenomenon of construction mafias at all costs.
Police unions want more
Reacting to Ramaphosa’s speech, South African Policing Union (SAPU) spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale elaborated on crime. He said there is a need to enhance policing on the resources front, both physically and on human capital.
“And this is dependent on budgetary provisions. The SAPS budget must be increased for the police to win [the fight] against crime. Technology plays a critical role to fight cybercrime and to improve crime prevention strategy. And also to achieve more as the world of work evolves on the technological front. The same goes to policing,” said Thobokgale.
Popcru wants a retention plan
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) spokesperson Richard Mamabolo was not convinced. He said there is nothing new about the policing commitments announced by Ramaphosa.
“We do welcome them as an ongoing need. The issue is how these special units allocated these tasks are to function. This in the midst of most of them leaving the service for greener pastures within the private security industry? This means the minister of police [Mchunu] must urgently work on a retention plan. This will ensure their conditions are improved.
“The SAPS admitted recently that they cannot compete with the private sector. And the fact that former police minister Bheki Cele recently increased some units’ danger allowance has not yet demonstrated as to whether the move has curbed the exodus or not. For us, time will tell,” said Mamabolo.
The Opening of Parliament Address is now distinct from the State of the Nation Address (Sona). This is according to the new joint rules of parliament.
OPA vs Sona
The Sona is held annually in February. It outlines the government’s plans and priorities for the year and reports on the state of the nation.
The Opening of Parliament Address, on the other hand, occurs once every five years. It follows the conclusion of the national and provincial elections. OPA announces the new administration’s plans, and marks the beginning of the new five-year parliamentary term.
The Opening of Parliament is a platform where the government’s vision and priorities are presented. This will set the tone for the legislative and administrative actions that will follow.
