Police minister Senzo Mchunu has called for greater collaboration between the police and private security firms in confronting SA’s rapidly evolving crime situation to prevent the country becoming a criminal state.
A more formal partnership between the SA Police Service (SAPS) and the private security industry would signify a shift in government policy.
Previous police ministers, including Nathi Mthethwa, regarded the private security sector with suspicion, viewing their involvement in crime fighting as a threat to national security. This stance softened in the last term, with former police minister Bheki Cele roping in private security to help maintain order in the run-up to the 2024 election.
In an interview with Business Day, Mchunu said he had met the umbrella body Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority and intended to engage big players in the sector soon “to get things moving”. The response so far had been positive, he said.
“The effort of the SAPS and private security forces will be bolstered by specialised units that will lead and co-ordinate the focus on hot spots. In particular in metros we are concerned about the surge in kidnappings and extortions but we are confident we will get the upper hand,” Mchunu said.
Extortion syndicates have caused disruptions in crucial sectors of the economy including construction, transport, security, mining, informal businesses, municipalities and vulnerable communities.
SA has also experienced a rise in kidnappings for ransom, with Business Times reporting in June that SA was fast becoming one of the world’s kidnap-for-ransom hotspots, now ranked sixth globally based on the rising incidence of such crimes. More than 15,000 kidnappings were reported to the police in 2022/23.
“We need a change of thinking. We are dealing here with matters of life and death. The challenges are much more pronounced now than ever before because the economy has not been doing well for some time. There is now a general push in at least four out of nine provinces to make SA a criminal state,” Mchunu said in a wide-ranging interview with Business Day.
“We have to become technically proficient, and have proper synchronisation between the SAPS and private security companies ... so we fight criminals in an organised manner.
The shift in thinking comes amid a serious increase in violent crime in recent years. In 2022-23, recorded cases of kidnapping increased 41.7%, attempted murders rose 13.7%, while reported carjacking incidents increased 8.5%, compared with the previous year.
The involvement of private security would greatly bolster government crime prevention strategies by using the vast workforce of private security personnel to increase the visibility of law enforcement in urban centres.
It would also enable police to leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence, technical expertise and surveillance cameras. More than 80% of crime in Gauteng and nearly 50% of crime in KwaZulu-Natal occurs in metropolitan areas.
Mchunu said he intended to immediately bolster police crime intelligence to help the “boots on the ground”, including police and private security officers, to be more effective.
“It is going to be a multidisciplinary effort and they are going to be unleashed to deal with these matters in a proactive and not reactive way,” the police minister said.
“We have to become technically proficient, and have proper synchronisation between the SAPS and private security companies ... so we fight criminals in an organised manner.”
Mchunu has also committed to have the SAPS work with metro police in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to do “far more” than just traffic policing. To that end he is signing memorandums of understanding with provincial governments.
Police corruption
Another priority was to implement measures to tackle corruption within the ranks of the police and ensure strict faithfulness to ethical standards and accountability mechanisms. It was not that difficult to deal with police corruption where it could be proved that a bribe had been taken and encouraged citizens to open cases of police corruption as a starting point, he said.
“The crime levels in the country are on the increase and are intolerable.
“We need to act decisively and bring this under control. This requires that we think about what management systems are needed overall within the police service, which will enable us to respond effectively to the serious challenge we face. It is our view and understanding that tough measures may need to be taken to reduce crime where necessary,” Mchunu said.
“There is serious competition between criminals, and that is very dangerous for citizens and the state. Economic growth and recognition of the rule of law are fundamental pillars of any state. Covid hit hard on income, it exposes people to other ways of surviving.
“We now need to hit hard in response. The majority of people are law abiding. What South Africans have to confront in terms of crime in SA is not acceptable,” he said.
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