Police minister Senzo Mchunu is contemplating granting metro police services across the country more teeth to fight crime, particularly the theft of copper, an activity that has wreaked havoc on SA’s economic hubs.
Under Mchunu’s proposals, metro police services across the country, originally meant to police traffic and municipal bylaws and regulations, would be authorised to conduct routine inspections at second-hand dealers to enforce compliance with legislation.
“The powers also authorise members to examine goods and articles found on the premises, seize records, etc, in the case of a contravention of the act, and to seal off premises to prevent a person from conducting business in contravention of the act (in other words, prevent crime),” Maj-Gen Marietjie van Rooyen said.
“The aim of extending these powers is to support the effective implementation of the legislation and to intensify the prevention of crime, especially cases such as copper cable theft, which have a substantial negative economic impact.”
Van Rooyen heads governance, legislation & policy at the police legal department.
Findings from research commissioned by the department of trade, industry & competition found the economic damage of copper theft alone was estimated at more than R45bn annually.
The city of Joburg’s power utility, City Power, reported more than 400 cases of cable theft between December 2022 and February 2023.
Mchunu is also looking to get the metro or municipal police services to play a more prominent role in fighting the scourge of illegal immigration in SA’s economic hubs.
Under his proposal, municipal police will be authorised to request any person to identify himself or herself as a citizen, permanent resident or foreigner, and to interview such persons about their identity or status.
This is in instances in which a member of municipal police has, on reasonable grounds, not been satisfied that such a person is entitled to be in the country.
“The extension of this power will enhance policing in metropolitan areas, where an influx of undocumented persons is are reported to live, work and engage in criminal activities,” Van Rooyen said.
“This will also enable members of a municipal police service to effectively execute their mandate to enforce bylaws, especially in respect of the high number of dilapidated and abandoned buildings in the central business district of metropolitan areas that are reportedly invaded by undocumented foreigners.”
The department of home affairs in April said 46,898 illegal immigrants had been deported in the 2024/25 financial year, an 18% increase compared to the previous year’s 39,672. This was the highest number of deportations carried out in at least five years.
The extension of police powers furthers the principles of co-ordination and co-operation as set out in the co-operation agreements that were concluded between the SAPS and city managers of various metropolitan councils in 2024.
Under Mchunu’s proposal, municipal services will also be empowered to tackle domestic violence matters. “Section 3A authorises a police official to enter private premises without a warrant — where a report was received that an offence containing an element of physical violence has allegedly been committed during an incident of domestic violence — and to interrogate the person and obtain a statement from him or her,” Van Rooyen said.
The extension of policing powers to metro police will enhance policing in SA, she said.
“The proposed extension of the relevant policing powers will positively contribute to policing plans and operations to prevent crime and will advance the policing of municipal bylaws.
“This will furthermore support the efforts of the SAPS to fight crime, especially in metropolitan areas where a high number of crimes are reported.”
Security industry
Mchunu has also made moves to improve the regulation of the private security industry via proposed amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act.
Should the amendments become law, security guards will be barred from using “prohibited weapons” such as tasers, teargas, water cannon, sponge grenades, rubber/plastic bullets “and any other weapon that may harm civilians”.
Security guards may not use a weapon during assemblies, demonstrations or protests, meetings or any other incidents classified as crowd management unless the use of such weapons is authorised and permitted in terms of the law.
Security service providers will be prohibited from carrying firearms in taxi ranks, cemeteries, stadiums, shopping malls, churches, restaurants, parks, hospitals, public and private schools or similar facilities.
In a move that could hobble the film industry, the government is considering a blanket ban on the importation of blank guns, which it says are driving up criminal activities, particularly in the Western Cape.
Another option put on the table is for the International Trade Administration Commission of SA (Itac) to regulate the importation of blank guns through a permit system. Whichever course the government decides to pursue, the proliferation of blank guns is set to be severely curtailed and limited to police and military training.
In a government notice, the department of trade, industry & competition said blank guns, originally intended for legitimate uses such as training by the SAPS and the SA National Defence Force as well as movie props, have been misused by criminals.
With Luyolo Mkentane
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