Today, on National Police Day, Build One South Africa (BOSA) extends our gratitude to the brave men and women of the South African Police Service (SAPS) who tirelessly serve to keep our streets, communities, and citizens safe. These officers perform under extreme circumstances, often risking their lives in a country plagued by persistent and dreadful crime statistics.
Every day, South Africa witnesses over 80 murders and 135 rapes, placing us among the most violent nations in the world. Despite these staggering figures, our police force remains woefully under-resourced.
Each officer is burdened with an average of over 300 cases, and recent funding increases have failed to translate into meaningful improvements in crime detection, officer well-being, or community safety.
Adding insult to injury, government priorities appear misaligned with the safety of citizens. The budget for VIP protection and bloated cabinet offices continues to rise while funding for rank-and-file officers is slashed. SAPS leadership is disconnected from the communities it is supposed to protect, and the force is often reduced to clerical duties.
BOSA believes that this National Police Day should not only be a time for appreciation but also a call to action for a professional, well-resourced, and community-driven police force.
The GNU’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, must use the upcoming annual budget to align the government’s verbal sentiment with tangible support through adequate funding.
BOSA’s proposals for safety and policing aim to transform SAPS into an effective and trusted institution:
- Decentralized Policing: We will devolve police powers to provinces, municipalities, and local communities. Subject to national standards, these entities will raise their own police forces, combining permanent officers with well-trained community volunteers.
- Merit-Based Leadership: Police recruitment, advancement, and leadership will follow a strict, transparent, and meritocratic process to prevent political interference, cronyism, and nepotism. Only those with proven skills, experience, and integrity will lead. Corrupt and poorly performing officers will be removed.
- Additional Resources: We will recruit 120,000 additional officers to strengthen capacity on the ground and ensure resources such as police vehicles, firearms, and forensic tools are well-managed and available where needed.
- Improved Training: Police training will include firearms competency, advanced driving skills, hostage negotiation, evidence handling, de-escalation techniques, and fitness. Officers must be agile, capable, and committed to their roles, ready to uphold the badge with honour.
- Specialist Crime Units: A “most-wanted” unit will be established to tackle serious, organized crime and ensure no offender operates with impunity.
The disconnect between SAPS headquarters and local police stations must end. On this day, as we thank those officers who remain steadfast in their duty, we also demand that the government demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety by prioritizing policing reform.
South Africa deserves a police force that protects all its people—not just the elite. By professionalizing and decentralizing SAPS, we can build safer communities and ensure that every officer is equipped and empowered to fight crime effectively.
Media Statement by
Roger Solomons: BOSA Acting Spokesperson
Monday 27 January 2025
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons – BOSA Acting Spokesperson – 072 299 3551