South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has revealed that by the end of 2022, 193 people had been charged in COVID-related corruption cases, 42 court cases had been finalised with 40 convictions which represents a 95 per cent conviction rate.
Ramaphosa who disclosed this on Thursday, while responding to questions from the Members of the Parliament in a sessions which will be used to hold the President and Members of his Cabinet accountable.
The President was asked what steps does he intend to take over crime escalation across the board and if he is still confident that the Minister and National Commissioner of Police, both of whom he has appointed to lead the Government’s fight to rid the Republic of crime.
Ramaphosa explained that to a large extent, crime and violence is rooted in social and economic conditions that prevail in South Africa, which have worsened significantly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He pressed on that the escalation of crime and violence is one of the greatest challenges facing the country, adding that conditions are characterised by extreme inequality and poverty, spatial segregation and high levels of unemployment.
According to him, “Many of the factors that contribute to crime go far beyond the scope of the mandate of the Department of Police. A background note prepared for the World Bank in 2019, for example, notes that:
“South Africa’s current challenges of crime and violence are rooted in a legacy of exclusion and uneven development.
“Crime and violence are consistently concentrated amongst excluded geographic and racial groups, where opportunities for socio-economic advancement continue to fall short of real need, resulting in frustrated expectations.”
Therefore, he said central to the programme of government and his ongoing engagement with social partners are measures to address the social and economic conditions that fuel crime. “At the same time, effective policing is critical to curbing crime and violence.
The President who said he’s confident that the Minister and National Commissioner of Police are competent and able to lead the government’s collaborative approach to building a South Africa where all people are and feel safe.
He said further that the Department of Police, under the leadership of the Minister, developed the Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy.
“This Strategy complements other interventions that respond to crime and violence, such as victim support, access to justice, improvements to policing and strengthening of the criminal justice system.
“The South African Police Service has also developed a National Policing Strategy, which was approved in September 2022 and is currently being implemented.
“The National Policing Strategy include an initiative to increase the number of SAPS members which will improve visibility and capacity.
“It also involves skilling more specialised units, such as the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units, Organised Crime Units, Public Order Units, Tactical Response Teams and others”.
Ramaphosa noted that the police continue to undertake targeted operations in crime hotspots. “These include operations to tackle cross border crime between Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal.
“And the deployment of multi- disiplinary teams to counter the recent gang-related shootings in Westbury and surrounding areas in Johannesburg.
“The turnaround of the DNA backlog has almost been concluded and capacity at the Forensic Science Laboratories has been enhanced. We have seen the value of cooperation between the police and other law enforcement entities through the Fusion Centre”.
He stressed that crime is not just a policing issue but also a societal issue. “That is why the strengthening of Community Policing Forums and other community-based initiatives is an essential part of an effective response to crime.
“The ‘Community in Blue’ initiative, for example, complements the work of CPFs. It encourages more citizens to be involved in community safety in a structured way.
“It promotes reporting of criminal activities and suspicious behaviour, increases visibility in order to deter criminal activities and promotes community participation in crime prevention initiatives.
“The fight against crime and violence requires great effort and focus. It needs an integrated strategy that harnesses all the capabilities of the police and criminal justice system, alongside the efforts of broader society”, the President said.