By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Newly appointed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has vowed to build capacity and enhance police visibility in an effort to combat crime in the country.
Mchunu was presenting the department’s Budget Vote in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
He said this would be done by improving community responsiveness through an increased crime detection rate, and strengthening the Crime Intelligence (CI) capability in order to build the public’s confidence in the police.
Detective services would have a budget of R71.3 billion and crime intelligence R15.1 billion over the medium term.
“Enhanced intelligence gathering, dedicated task forces and collaborative operations with other law-enforcement agencies will strengthen the [South African Police Services ability to combat organised crime effectively,” Mchunu said.
By prioritising these efforts, the SAPS can significantly reduce drug-related incidents and protect vulnerable populations.”
But, in the debate on his speech, MPs questioned whether the figures and the stated focus would translate into a meaningful impact, including on visible policing which Mchunu listed as another priority.
He said visible policing would receive R189 billion, or 52% of the police budget, over three years, and would allow the police to take in 10 000 trainees in the current financial year.
“This strategic expansion is crucial for addressing the growing demands of our communities and ensuring that we can effectively combat crime across the country.”
The SAPS has also budgeted R3.67 billion for protection and security services – of this, R1.97 billion is specifically budgeted for VIP protection.
This is projected to increase to R2.2 billion river the next three years.
This is only slightly less than the R2.2 billion budgeted for special investigations by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (aka, The Hawks), to combat organised crime syndicates, serious and violent crime, commercial crime and corruption.
The Minister emphasised the importance of enhancing safety protocols and measures to safeguard police officials in the line of duty for ensuring their well-being and operational effectiveness.
By implementing comprehensive training programs, providing advanced protective equipment, and establishing clear operational guidelines, Mchunu said the police service can significantly reduce risks faced by officers during their duties.
He added that increased focus on mental health support and regular safety assessments will contribute to a safer working environment.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), said Mchunu, is headed towards ensuring it is adequately staffed to conduct its mandate.
“The department continues to analyse its organisational structure, which resulted in the extensive review of the current functions; re-prioritising and re-grouping of the functions in respective units to ensure the optimal utilisation of the limited resources. IPID has a number of recruitment processes underway in respect of various positions,” he said.
The SAPS Budget for the 2024/ 25 financial year is R113.597 billion; while the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service has been allocated a budget of R155.964 million and IPID allocated R370.557 million.
Mchunu said the budgets of the departments in the portfolio need to reflect a proper alignment between policing needs and priorities, personnel deployment, upskilling of critical personnel and operations.
“Strengthening specialised crime detection capabilities is essential for effectively addressing cybercrime, organised crime, commercial crime, and corruption. Enhanced training, advanced investigative tools, and dedicated task forces will empower the SAPS to tackle these complex and high-impact criminal activities more efficiently.
“By capacitating specialised units, the SAPS can ensure targeted, expert responses to specific crime types, leading to higher detection rates and successful prosecutions. This approach will not only disrupt criminal networks but also restore public confidence in law enforcement, “the Minister said.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, rejected the budget, saying the police had failed year after year.
“Twenty-seven thousand five hundred murders in South Africa under so-called peace conditions. In Gaza, where there is a war and genocide, 38,000 people killed. You have lost the war against crime.”
The MK Party rejected the budget, with parties like ActionSA calling for an increase in the budget for crime intelligence and less money on VIP protection.
Parliamentary newcomers BOSA, Rise Mzansi and NCC also expressed concern over the police’s spending on VIP protection services.