While the Western Cape has seen an increase in violent crime, concerns about the appointment of a permanent provincial commissioner linger - with police unwilling to commit to when an appointment will be made.
In the recently released
SAPS crime statistics for 2018/2019, the Western Cape recorded increases in murder, attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping, and came top on crimes committed against children.
The province’s police stations also featured predominantly in the top 30 for a variety of crimes, highlighting a dire need for strong leadership in police management to bring stability to the province.
The transfer of former commissioner Khombinkosi Jula to KwaZulu-Natal prompted the temporary appointment of Lieutenant-General Slindile Mfazi to the position.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo said while the process to appoint a permanent commissioner was under way, the SAPS could not confirm when this would take place.
“I can confirm the process has started, but we cannot say about interviews because they are not underway, the process is still ongoing,” he said.
According to sources, the selection process has been concluded with interviews expected to proceed before the end of the month. SAPS management is tight-lipped over which candidates have been called back for interviews.
Crime expert from the Safety and Violence Initiative at UCT Guy Lamb said what was vital for the appointment was getting an individual who could rise above the politics that has plagued the SAPS management in recent years.
“We know that in the Western Cape party politics and tensions between political parties play
out in governance in all sectors and policing has been highly politicised and relationships are not as good as they should be,” he said.
Weekend Argus