Proposed restructure aims to ensure accountability, writes Phalane Motale
ACTING national police commissioner LieutenantGeneral Johannes Phahlane is proposing a drastic management shake-up of the SAPS structures with the aim of reducing costs, improving the efficiency and effectiveness within the police and maximising the fight against crime.
With the backing of the Ministry of Police and Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, Phahlane said the restructuring would have more emphasis on splitting recently merged divisions and establishing a new national management intervention structure to deal with problems at provincial and station level.
The national management intervention division will be under a deputy national commissioner to deal with challenges and priority areas, with three regional commissioners, who will each be responsible for three provinces. This new division will also include the police’s inspectorate.
Four other deputy national police commissioners will be responsible for policing (including visible policing, operational response services and protection and security services), crime detection (crime intelligence will be moved here, alongside detectives and forensics), human resources, asset and legal management (including supplychain management, facilities, IT and a centralised legal and policy division).
Presidential protection services, internal audit and the crime registrar remain directly accountable to the national police commissioner.
Presenting the new organogram to Parliament’s