President Cyril Ramaphosa has voiced concerns that corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS) remains a significant challenge, undermining trust and law enforcement efforts.
Ramaphosa called for urgent reform during his keynote address at the country's first-ever Policing Summit, stressing the need to address the root causes of corruption and strengthen the fundamentals of policing.
“Alongside measures to protect whistleblowers, implement the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, and strengthen accountability, we must urgently focus on improving the core principles of policing,” Ramaphosa said.
He stressed that prosecuting corrupt officers is not enough.
“We have to instill a culture of honesty and integrity in the police,” he added.
The three-day summit, held at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre in Gauteng, aims to confront rising crime levels by reassessing policing strategies and developing more effective SAPS solutions.
Ramaphosa acknowledged the long-standing corruption issues within the police force and the dangerous consequences faced by whistleblowers, some of whom have been killed for exposing corruption.
Ramaphosa hoped the summit would focus on promoting ethical behaviour, accountability, and rebuilding public trust.
"Respect for the rule of law and the authority of the state is a cardinal priority for this summit," he said.
Efforts to professionalize SAPS include attracting high-quality candidates through a rigorous selection process and providing opportunities for training, education, and career development.
Ramaphosa added that the summit must result in a clear plan to address the systemic deficiencies impacting policing.
"If SAPS is to fulfill its crucial mandate, we must emerge from these discussions with a roadmap for reform," he said.
Ramaphosa highlighted that several social issues, including poverty, inequality, unemployment, lack of opportunity, patriarchy, misogyny, and broken family structures contribute to crime.
“Addressing crime without understanding its root causes is like a doctor treating a patient for a fever without diagnosing the underlying illness,” Ramaphosa said.
He expressed optimism that the summit would adopt a more holistic approach to law enforcement, focusing not only on the police but the entire policing system.
“It is encouraging that this summit brings together stakeholders from the safety and security establishment, communities, civil society, business, the interfaith sector, labor, and other groups,” he added.
“Just as crime is an all-of-society problem, overcoming crime must be an all-of-society effort. In doing so, we must fully support the hardworking men and women of the South African Police Service,” Ramaphosa said.
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