The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will today be sending its top ten priorities for the fight against crime to the new National Police Commissioner Mangwashi Phiyega. Phiyega will have her work cut out for her in cleaning up the mess in the South African Police Service (SAPS) left by her predecessors.

The police service has been marred by political infighting, lack of effective management and the disintegration of administrative and financial controls. This has had a ripple effect throughout the SAPS that has undermined the morale and capacity of police across the country and has seriously eroded the public trust in the service.

Phiyega must demonstrate her commitment to combatting the high level of violent and contact crime experienced by South Africans on a daily basis by implementing the following key interventions in the police service:
Properly investigate the Richard Mdluli saga and clean out the rot in the SAPS Crime Intelligence division to ensure that it focuses on its pivotal role in the fight against crime;
Institute appropriate financial and administrative controls as recommended by the Public Protector and curb the massive increase in irregular expenditure (from R2.5 million to R76 million) incurred under Bheki Cele;
Implement the DA’s rural safety policy <https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_-slGu8-FTxeGRfYi1wUDJrV3c> to address the high rate of crime against rural South Africans. To this end she must urgently establish a specialised Rural Safety Division within the SAPS with rural reaction units and rural crime intelligence gathering capacity;
Ensure that every single police station in this country is provided with water, sanitation facilities and electricity and address the needs of the 153 stations where police officers in the line of duty are going without such basic services;
Reintroduce and strengthen the specialised units controversially disbanded by Jackie Selebi, including the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units, Anti-Hijacking units, the Narcotics Bureau and anti-Gang units;
Demilitarise the police service, as recommended by the DA and the National Development Plan, to ensure that a culture of service returns to the SAPS which puts people first;
Cut expenditure on luxury goods and services to boost the number of specialised detectives and properly trained police on the streets to 250 000, which will make it increasingly difficult for criminals to hide from the law;
Enhance station management skills to ensure that professional police stations are properly managed and resourced with the right expertise;
Introduce mandatory specialised training and fitness requirements to ensure that the police are not only fighting fit, but also skilled in combatting violent crime;
Enforce performance agreements in the SAPS and recognise and reward exceptional performance;
Empower station commanders to encourage local initiatives at station level to develop innovative and localised policing strategies that respond to the specific needs of communities.
Phiyega must put clear blue water between her and her politician predecessors who have significantly harmed the SAPS and undermined the fight against crime.

Taking the above proposals seriously is one way for the new National Police Commissioner to demonstrate that she is not only tough on crime, but also serious about running a professional, dedicated and effective police service.