The Portfolio Committee on Police has commended the Kwa-Zulu Natal South African Police Services (Saps) detective team for arresting a suspect linked to the Phoenix triple murder, in which a mother and two daughters were killed in their home on Friday morning.
 
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Francois Beukman, said that the quick response by the SAPS detective team and the subsequent arrest of a suspect is confirmation that there is no substitute for effective and professional detective work in solving murder cases.
 
Mr Beukman commended the Acting Provincial Commissioner and the Saps team for their team effort and investigative response to the gruesome murders. He said that the incident has put a spot light on the alarming crime rate against women and children in our society.
 
“The turn-around time in the detective service’s performance in all nine provinces is of critical importance to ensure that perpetrators of crime against women and children are arrested and brought before the courts. Too many unsolved murder cases erode the confidence of the community in the police service, leading to vigilante conduct that undermines the criminal justice system in general,” said Mr Beukman.
 
The committee believes that an immediate response to murder incidents by detectives is essential, because delayed responses and investigations adds up to the complexity of cases.
 
The committee also holds the view that investigative officers should also, on a regular basis, give feedback to the families of victims.
 
Mr Beukman said that the retention and promotion of experienced detectives by national and provincial police management is essential.
 
Lastly, Mr Beukman believes that skills transfer to new recruits and up-to-date forensic training is key to the turnaround in the detective environment.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of The Chairperson of The Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Francois Beukman