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Police minister Senzo Mchunu says women and children are increasingly under attack, saying that police are prioritising gender-based violence and femicide.
Mchunu was speaking on day one of the inaugural police summit taking place in Kempton Park in Johannesburg over the next three days.
According to the minister, the summit is also aimed at determining how to police the country "effectively and efficiently" amid personnel shortages, budgetary constraints, and in the four biggest provinces, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu Natal and Western Cape, where he said there are high rates of crime and corruption.
Mchunu said the ministry is equally concerned about the murder rate and the easy availability of firearms, especially illegal firearms, as well as drugs.
“We are working very hard to reduce organised crime, as this is the main contributor to crime levels in the country. In addition, we believe we can substantially minimise, if not eliminate, gang gang-related violence in the country.
"Of late, we note increases in kidnappings, extortion, cash-in-transit heists, and stock theft. The 3rd quarter crime statistics indicate a decline, but it is far from where we want it to be,” Mchunu said.
He added that the summit will delve into a range of matters, with a focus on proactive policing, partnerships, infrastructure, crime intelligence and increasing the usage of technology.
Mchunu added that they have several projects in the pipeline which will be implemented together with business and which will be rolled out countrywide.
“We will be digitising our docket management systems and, as the police, we have plans to increase the number of laboratories. Business has also come on board and has pledged to furnish our labs with state-of-the-art equipment, in addition to increasing the number of labs, inclusive of an e-lab.”
Meanwhile, president Cyril Ramaphosa, who delivered the keynote address, highlighted the role of the police in safeguarding the nation.
“The police’s mission is to investigate and prevent crime and ensure that offenders are brought to justice, to counter threats to community safety and security, and importantly, to participate in efforts to address the root causes of crime.”
He said crime is both a cause and a symptom, and has a direct impact on the economy as it discourages investment, disrupts business activity, and leads to increased security costs for companies.
“It is therefore encouraging that this summit has as one of its key objectives adopting a more holistic approach to law enforcement, encompassing not just the police but the entire policing system.”
President Ramaphosa also called on South Africans to assist the police in fighting crime and said: “We need to work to improve the morale of SAPS members, many of whom are battling heavy workloads, insufficient resources, and outdated systems.”
He also confirmed that the police ratio to people is low, and that is why communities need to step in to fight crime.
