Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron,
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
THE police have been accused of not taking seriously key policing initiatives, including protecting their own weapons from theft.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police took the leadership of the SAPS to task yesterday as the police appeared before the committee.
The police met with the committee to present an annual performance plan (APP) and strategic outlook for 2025/26. The committee members delivered a scathing critique of the plan, describing it as “uninspired” and “astonishing.” They expressed grave concern about the feasibility and credibility of key performance targets, describing them as lacking urgency and detail.
Committee chairperson Ian Cameron said the APP “projects a lack of urgency in overcoming crime and achieving the goals of the National Development Plan.” He highlighted the unreasonably low murder detection rate target of 11.33% as particularly disturbing. “The target essentially implies that nearly nine out of ten murder cases may go unresolved over the next financial year,” said Cameron. “This figure was presented without qualifying methodology and stands in stark contrast to government’s stated objective of halving violent crime by 2029.”
The committee also flagged SAPS’ intent to reduce lost or stolen police-issued firearms by just 10%, a target it deemed grossly inadequate. “The fact that the police are aiming to reduce this figure by only 10% highlights a lack of commitment to tackling the proliferation of firearms on our streets,” Cameron said.
Concerns were also raised about the lack of timeframes and accountability mechanisms for addressing key issues, including vehicle shortages at station level and the capacitation of 10111 call centres. “Without these timeframes, the committee and provincial legislatures will be unable to perform adequate oversight,” he said.
Cameron was also skeptical of the SAPS’ goal to build 200 police stations over five years, citing a lack of budget clarity and timelines. “A plan without these critical elements does not give confidence that the target will be achieved.”
Despite these concerns, the committee welcomed SAPS’ plans to recruit 4,000 detectives, invest in body-worn cameras, and support GBV and FCS units. However, it warned that “measurable improvements must be tangible over time and commensurate with the investments made.”
The committee has instructed SAPS to return with a revised plan that sets “credible, justifiable and publicly defensible goals.”