AfriForum calls for devolution of policing powers to address critical detective shortages
6 September 2024
The alarming shortage of detectives in the South African Police Service (SAPS), as revealed by Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, underscores the urgent need for a strategic overhaul of the policing system. With a current shortfall of 8,594 detectives nationally, the situation is dire, particularly in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape. AfriForum believes that the most effective solution lies in devolving policing powers to the municipal level, allowing for the employment of detectives in the same manner as Metro Police and Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) officers.
Mchunu’s recent parliamentary response highlighted the critical gaps in the law enforcement framework, with over 50 detectives leaving their positions every month, often transitioning into the private sector. This trend exacerbates the existing shortage, leaving communities vulnerable and law enforcement stretched beyond its capacity.
Calls for improved working conditions and the SAPS to get its house in order in general, have fallen on deaf ears. In light of these challenges, AfriForum argues that the centralisation of police services is no longer tenable in a country grappling with such severe shortages and decades of mismanagement. Instead, devolving policing powers to local municipalities would enable more tailored, efficient, and responsive law enforcement. By employing detectives at the municipal level, similar to Metro Police and LEAP officers, we can ensure that local law enforcement agencies have the resources and personnel necessary to tackle crime effectively.
Some of the benefits of creating local detective units will be: