Democratic Alliance (DA) says the increasing number of mass shooting incidents is an indictment of failing crime intelligence systems, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) response of merely deploying additional forces will not suffice.
Several mass murders have been reported recently, especially in the Western Cape, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape.
DA WEIGHS IN ON MASS SHOOTINGS
The party said deploying additional forces is not sustainable, nor does it address the root of the crisis.
“Until SAPS crime intelligence functions at total capacity, we will continue to see this tragic loss of life on our streets.
‘The DA believes sustainable solutions lie in sharing policing functions between national, provincial, and local authorities to ease pressure on our policing resources and the national budget. A national police force alone cannot meet the scale and specificity of our challenges,” DA spokesperson on police Ian Cameron said.
Cameron said that sharing policing functions would allow SAPS to allocate resources more efficiently and focus on national concerns. At the same time, capable metros and provinces manage local issues, especially those tied to gang violence and firearm tracking.
“This approach would empower well-equipped local authorities to deliver region-specific policing solutions, improving response times in critical investigations and addressing endemic issues like gang violence in our communities.
“For instance, allowing metro police to conduct ballistic tests and other forensic services would expedite case processing, reduce delays, and alleviate the budget strain on SAPS,” he explained.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE THAT DEPLOYING SAPS OFFICERS WILL NOT SOLVE MOST OF THE CRIMES COMMITTED IN THE CIUNTRY?
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