In reply to a parliamentary question by Build One South Africa (BOSA) Leader, Dr Mmusi Maimane MP, official data from the Minister of Police has revealed that over the past decade, more than 21 million criminal cases were opened in South Africa, yet 61.7% of these cases were closed and unsolved.
This translates to 13.2 million cases closed without resolution, a damning indicator that our police service is struggling to keep pace with the country’s crime levels.
The clearance rate for criminal cases stands at just 37.5%, highlighting a system overwhelmed by a combination of rising crime and severe detective and police officer shortages.
Crime is rampant and South Africans are paying the price for a police service that cannot cope. The shortage of trained detectives and under-resourced police stations is crippling our ability to fight crime effectively.
Earlier this year, BOSA revealed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is operating with a national shortage of 2 344 detectives.
This means thousands of criminal cases are going cold, with no follow-up investigations, no arrests, and no justice for victims. As more and more files pile up on the desks of detectives, criminals are not being brought to book and justice is not being served for victims.
There is a solution to curbing crime and achieving justice for victims. BOSA has consistently called for the following interventions.
- Expand SAPS Capacity. We must recruit and train 120 000 new police officers, expanding capacity at station level to ensure faster response times and improved investigation outcomes.
- Increase Funding and Resources for Justice. We must ensure adequate funding and resources for effective crime prevention and prosecution, including doubling the National Prosecuting Authority’s budget to R10 billion to strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity.
- Establish Regional and Municipal Police Forces. We must create smaller, community-focused police units at regional and municipal levels, designed to build trust and collaboration with local communities.
- Modernize Forensic Capabilities. We must forge partnerships with private laboratories to enhance forensic support and establish a national electronic forensic database, ensuring critical evidence is analysed quickly and accurately.
- Digitalize Criminal Dockets. We must mandate the digitalization of all criminal dockets, improving transparency, accountability, and accessibility across the justice system.
- Target the Most Violent Criminals. We must establish a National Criminal Investigation Directorate dedicated to identifying, pursuing, and prosecuting the top 100 most violent criminals in the country.
South Africans deserve a police service capable of protecting communities and ensuring that justice is served. The current situation is a clear warning that urgent reforms are needed to restore public confidence and safety.
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons
BOSA Spokesperson
072 299 3551