Saps unit ‘can operate better’

The SA Police Service (Saps) has enough budget for equipping its public order policing unit but is still operating at 50% below the ideal number of members, which becomes a barrier to crime fighting, parliament heard yesterday.

Briefing the portfolio committee on police during preparatory budget hearing, General Elias Mawela, said: “The public order policing is not at the level at which it’s supposed to be, because according to our work study investigation we wanted to see ourselves standing at the ideal figure of 12 779 in order to be operating at the ideal figure.

“But currently we are sitting at 5 600 members, so we are actually operating at below 50% but we started last year whereby we have been given some allocation to try to increase our numbers because we know that crime management is the game of numbers. If you do not have numbers, members will operate as individual police.”

Mawela said in terms of resources procurement, the police were on course, adding that in the last financial year they had managed to get more vehicles for public order policing.

“For example, we got them [members] 97 vehicles and bought 23 second-generation Nyalas – procured, delivered and distributed to the units. We have also managed to buy them medical kits and fire extinguishers.

“Latest video cameras, we have also procured those and delivered to the units and we are still going to procure some so that we have enough because these incidents are all over the country.”

He added: “The only area where we have lagged behind is the procurement of protective gears for the members of which we intend to finalise this financial year because the procurement vehicle is being finalised by the supply chain...” – ANA

Crime management is game of numbers. If you do not have numbers, members will operate as individual police. General Elias Mawela SA Police Service