The Department of Safety and Security released a draft white paper for discussion in May. The paper is the result of an extensive (and continuing) consultation process.

While the White Paper argues that most categories of crime have begun to stabilise it concedes that a range of interventions are required to ensure sustained reductions in crime levels. These need to rectify the legacy of apartheid policing which encompasses:

Little history of criminal detection within the confines of a democratic constitution.

No experience in the implementation of local crime prevention programmes.

Poor systems of police accountability and oversight.

The White Paper suggests a focus on three broad areas.

1. Law enforcement

Ir argues that attention is required on the following:

Improving criminal investigations through:

Increasing the number of detectives and improving training.

Enhancing the system of detective management.

Ensuring more effective crime intelligence.

Ensuring effective visible policing by specific crime problems identified through the effective use of crime information and intelligence.

Providing adequate service to victims by more effective management of both direct and indirect victims and witnesses of crime as a vital part of successful police investigations.

2. Crime prevention

The establishment of a crime prevention unit with two functions at national level is proposed:

Social crime prevention, including developing systems to reduce the opportunities for crimes.



Achieving an integrated criminal justice system.

The unit will continue the work of the National Crime Prevention Strategy.

3. Institutional reform

The White Paper argues that the system of police accountability and control should be brought into line with that in other democracies. The determination and allocation of the police budget, where it occurs at national level, should be carried out by non-police or civilian officials who are also central — in conjunction with political representatives and the police — in determining policy priorities.

In South Africa this means in effect that the Secretary for Safety and Security — a civilian appointment outside of the SAPS, responsible for high level policy advice and support to the Minister — as opposed to the National Commissioner of the SAPS, should become the accounting officer for the Department.

Such a system allows not only an ability to match policy priorities with operational performance, but also ensures more effective monitoring of the police while distancing the police from the political wrangling necessary to secure their budget.

Thus, the National Commissioner will remain responsible for the operational policing budget and will continue to report to the Minister on police operations. In effect, the proposed system should allow the police to get on with the job in the context of jointly agreed priorities.



Tasked under the constitution with the monitoring and oversight of the police, provincial government, the White Paper argues, has a key role to play. In addition to the monitoring role outlined above, provincial governments must lead social crime prevention in their provinces.

City and town government, the White Paper proposes, is the level at which planning can take the needs of local communities and their particular crime problems into account, potentially providing an effective link between local representatives, community police forums, municipal departments and the SAPS (see figure).

Mark Shaw,
Institute for Security Studies