Are SAPS members cleaning stations instead of being on the street?
The decision taken by the upper echelons of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to cancel private contracts of services such as cleaning and gate-guarding has led to SAPS members taking on these duties themselves. This means that we have fewer cops on the streets and more in SAPS offices taking responsibility for non-core duties.
No criminal will run at the sight of police and reservists in bulletproof vests, firearm in holster and mop in hand.
The cancellation of a cleaning contract for Democratic Cleaners was announced by former National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele in March 2011. He promised that government would absorb these cleaners and provide them with higher wages. Instead, hundreds of them have lost their jobs and many police stations have been without cleaners.
In an oversight visit to Limpopo earlier this year, I saw the impact of these cancelled contracts. Not only has it led to job losses for both cleaners and security guards, it has led to SAPS members and reservists having to perform these services themselves. Instead of using their time to do what they are trained to do, they are having to waste it on keeping their stations clean.
In Limpopo, the impact of the cancellation of the contract with Democratic Cleaning Services saw the loss of over 300 jobs. In Kwazulu-Natal, around 400 cleaners were left without jobs last year after the contract was not renewed and many cleaners were not integrated into SAPS as promised.