President Cyril Ramaphosa has revealed that corruption and low levels of public trust are at the centre of the crime scourge that has left no aspect of society untouched, including the South African Police Service (SAPS).

As a result, Ramaphosa said the country's crime-fighting strategy must be innovative and solutions-oriented.

He was speaking during the first day of the three-day inaugural Policing Summit at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park on Tuesday.

"I want to thank the minister for having conceived this summit. This is a critical summit because safeguarding our nation and safety and security requires that we become proactive, innovative, and creative, and we should all be solutions-oriented in our approach. This is what you have proven, just soon after you have taken office as minister of police, taking office together with your two deputy ministers," he said.

Ramaphosa indicated that the police, as a frontline service, is one of the easiest ways for ordinary citizens to interact with the government, which is why it is important for the police service to be professionalised through giving an expression to the Batho Pele principles.

"The police as the essential service is where the people encounter the state. When they interface with the state, it is when they see the police who are in uniform, who are visible in front of them, and represent the state of the Republic of South Africa.

"The police play a critical role in the statehood of our nation. Therefore, as they interface with our communities on a daily basis, it is important that they are guided by the Batho Pele principles," he stated.

On the government and the criminal justice system's need to build public trust, Ramaphosa stated: "We need to improve the relationship between the police and the communities that the police serve. That is why it is so important for this very first police summit to not be only a boys' or a girls' club, but it should also include the key stakeholders in our communities who are going to participate in charting the way forward."

The summit, held under the theme “Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential", seeks to focus on policing strategies that have effectively reduced crime and enhanced community safety, and comes at a time when the country is facing a rise in gender-based violence, with growing concerns about the police’s handling of such cases.

In the middle of the #JusticeForCwecwe protests, there have been questions about whether law enforcement is adequately equipped to respond to these incidents and whether the justice system is providing enough support for survivors.

At the Ministerial Business Partnership Dinner at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, ahead of the inaugural Police Summit, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu emphasised the importance of collaboration with the private sector, civil society, and the government in the fight against crime and corruption.

"The strengthening of our crime intelligence is of importance so that all our activities are intelligence driven. The capacitation and upskilling of our detective services, including using modern ways of working as opposed to what still characterises a remarkable aspect of our work with disappearing files and all of that.

"Revitalisation and expansion of our forensic services and improvement of our general working environment under which police officers work. These are just a few aspects that we are focused on," the minister said.

The summit has also received support from the labour sector, with the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) saying it comes at a critical time as the country continues to grapple with evolving crime trends as well as the need for enhanced community trust, and growing demand for a professional, accountable, and transformed police service.

"This summit will also build on the important foundation laid by Popcru’s highly successful 2023 Policing Indaba, which brought together participants from various fields to discuss and share their insights, challenges, and suggested solutions to improve the fight against crime in South Africa.

"These included academics, researchers, law enforcement agencies, and government departments. This indaba robustly deliberated on a range of topical issues aimed at remodelling the Criminal Justice System in line with the provisions of a democratic South Africa," Popcru president, Thulani Ngwenya, stated.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za