By: Thabi Madiba
Updated 2 hours 55 minutes ago
In his weekly letter to the nation on Monday President Cyril Ramaphosa said that government is working to close the capacity gaps that led to the unpreparedness of the country’s law enforcement in dealing with the July unrest. Ramaphosa admitted that there are serious challenges facing policing in South Africa, and gave his assurance that government is working to overcome them. Among the interventions are the re-organising and reprioritising of resources, improving capacity and strengthening law enforcement capacity across the board, and using the Expert Panel report on the unrest as a basis for organisational reform. Ramaphosa acknowledged the growing public frustration and anger at the levels of crime in the country. Last month’s robbery and gang rape of eight young women in Krugersdorp caused nationwide outrage and led to calls for decisive action against armed illegal mining gangs operating in the area. “Like all government departments, the South African Police Service is feeling the effects of the country’s fiscal crisis, several years of understaffing and State capture. Police members also work in a dangerous environment where they often have to face violence, injury or death,” Ramaphosa said. →
