STATEMENT BY DIANNE KOHLER BARNARD MP

DA SHADOW MINISTER OF POLICE

1 OCTOBER 2009

Draft National Instruction will disempower reservists and hamper the functioning of the SAPS

A Draft National Instruction on the South African Reserve Police Service, which directly concerns the country's reservists, has been met by outrage and opposition by reservists themselves and the Democratic Alliance (DA) has been flooded with responses, some of which follow below. The draft, in effect, disempowers reservists, places a greater burden on the SAPS in terms of time and resources and simply demonstrates that the government is not really serious about crime in South Africa.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is in possession of a copy of the draft, which is available on request.

The DA has been contacted by reservists from around the country protesting many of the provisions outlined in this draft instruction.

The main objections are:

• the categorisation of reservists which confines them to sectors, thereby limiting their abilities. It will also mean that reservists will not be able to be deployed to areas where they are most needed.
• Reservist uniforms, insignia, badges and buttons are to clearly distinguish them from permanent members. Reservists perform the same duties as permanent members, and have always worn SAPS uniforms. This will rip apart any notion of a team, a team that is expected to work together. It will also create an additional financial burden on the SAPS and will create countless administrative difficulties. Many reservists feel that this makes them "second class volunteers" and will lead to massive resignations.
• Reservists may not be utilised to perform day-to-day policing. Reservists assist the SAPS in all duties, by limiting this assistance, the Police Service will be severely affected. 

The DA will write to the Minister, to ask him to take up this matter personally and to review the proposals set forth in this National Instruction. If this draft goes forward in its present form, the functioning of the SAPS will be hampered and it will have serious consequences on security in South Africa. We consider these draft proposals to be extremely offensive towards the brave men and women who voluntarily give of their time to protect the rest of us.

Below are some comments from the reservists that have contacted us:

Johannesburg:

• "If the SAPS wants people of honour, dignity and respect in its ranks, the SAPS has to provide those who are prepared to take a bullet for their country, for no monetary reward, with the honour, dignity and respect they deserve"
• "The management of the SAPS has been incredibly ungrateful to the enormous efforts of the Reservists' contributions to the SAPS"
• "We feel that the draft document does contain some good suggestions, but the worry factor is the careless manner in which several proposals have been put forth without regarding their implications."

Port Elizabeth:

• The draft document has "single handedly created the biggest slit between Permanent and Reservists members that I have seen in my 20 years service with the SAPS"
• "For senior management to...send members into the field with the word ‘Reservist' inscribed on them and in different uniforms and insignia, is nothing less than a recipe for disaster. One may just as well consider placing a target on their backs".

Durban:

• "The general feeling [is] that government is trying to make GLORIFIED SECURITY GUARDS of the reservists"
• "if this Draft was in-forced there will be a mass resignation of reservists"

Location Unknown:

• "The implementation...will result in many members who have shown years of dedication to leave the reservist police service...maybe the writer of this draft is so far removed from the daily operation of the SAPS that he or she does not realise what reservists actually do".

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of police, October 1 2009

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