By Thapelo Molefe
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a more comprehensive approach to fighting crime, stressing that policing alone is not enough to ensure safety in South Africa.
Speaking at the inaugural National Policing Summit held at Emperor’s Palace in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said that the root causes of crime such as poverty, inequality, broken family structures and substance abuse must be addressed alongside traditional law enforcement efforts.
“Addressing crime without understanding its root causes is like a doctor treating a patient for a fever without diagnosing the underlying illness,” the president said.
“Crime is both a cause and a symptom. It is a cause of insecurity and instability in communities. It weakens the social fabric and it is also a symptom of wider problems in a society.”
Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of rebuilding public trust in the SA Police Service (SAPS), strengthening community policing structures and embracing modern technologies such as digital reporting systems and data-driven crime analysis.
“Just as crime is an all-of-society problem, overcoming crime must be an all-of-society effort,” he said.
The president also called for improved coordination among law-enforcement agencies and stronger action against corruption within the police.
“Corruption is a scourge that has left no aspect of society untouched, including the SAPS,” Ramaphosa said.
“It is not enough to demonstrate that we are prosecuting SAPS members guilty of corruption. We have to instil a culture of honesty and integrity in the police. Instilling a culture of ethics forms part of wider efforts to professionalise the SAPS.”
The president praised ongoing partnerships between SAPS and the private sector, noting the positive impact of joint initiatives to support crime-fighting capabilities.
However, he said that even as the SAPS budget has increased over the past 10 years, the reality was that the number of police personnel has been declining while the country’s population has been growing.
“The resources of the police are stretched extremely thin. This means that we must work better and smarter by using existing resources more effectively,” Ramaphosa noted.
“From this summit we need a clear plan on how to better involve communities in crime prevention and detection, and on harnessing the potential of CPFs (community policing forums) in line with relevant legislation and regulations.”
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu highlighted the importance of rethinking how the country was policed in the face of budget constraints, personnel shortages and high crime rates in key provinces, particularly Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.
“The overall test we must pass is for the citizens to say they feel safe at any time and almost everywhere, especially where they live,” Mchunu said.
He outlined several concerns facing the SAPS, including gender-based violence and femicide, murder, the easy availability of illegal firearms and the rising number of kidnappings, cash-in-transit heists and gang-related violence.
He acknowledged that while crime statistics showed some improvement in the third quarter, the levels were still far from acceptable.
Mchunu also addressed internal challenges, particularly corruption within SAPS, which he said was being dealt with decisively.
He said new initiatives aimed at improving police effectiveness included partnerships with the private sector to automate police stations, digitise docket management and expand and equip forensic laboratories.
“We took an important step last night in deepening our partnership with the business sector,” he said, referring to a pledge signed with Business Against Crime South Africa.
The pledge outlines shared efforts to invest in crime prevention, improve criminal justice efficiency, and enhance ethical standards.
The three-day summit, themed “Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential”, is expected to produce concrete outcomes for implementation throughout the year.
Among the key focus areas are proactive policing, technology integration, intelligence-driven investigations and improving infrastructure.
“We are embarking on the implementation of a reconfigured organisational structure suitable to fight crime in this country. Crime must fall in South Africa,” Mchunu said.
INSIDE POLITICS
