The appointment of Deputy Commissioner Revo Spies to lead the Tshwane Asset Protection Cluster has been well received by Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the South African Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police. Spies, who has nearly 42 years of policing experience, will have a vital role to play in safeguarding Tshwane’s critical infrastructure from ongoing criminal targeting.

Cameron indicated that the promotion of a veteran official with many years of history is always a welcome move as they possess useful experience which they bring to the workplace. He mentioned the increasing threat of infrastructure vandalism across South Africa and called for new ideas on this important issue.

“At face value and on information available, there is nothing sinister in the process, particularly with the calibre of the candidate who has been selected,” Cameron said.

However, he called for collaboration among the municipal authorities, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and local communities in an attempt to enhance security programs. He urged the new chief of asset protection to look into using information technology as a force multiplier in crime prevention.

“Communities have a responsibility to assist in combating crimes and reporting to the police,” he stated.

A step in the right direction

The appointment of Spies, announced by the Tshwane Metro on 12 March, forms part of the city’s integrated strategy to secure its infrastructure from ongoing criminality. Speaking to media recently, MMC for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, hailed the appointment, stating it was in line with the administration’s strategic priority to strengthen security and emergency services.

“For too long, the specter of lawlessness has been hanging over our city, manifesting itself in the rampant theft and reckless destruction of municipal property,” Coetzee told media.

The city has been losing massive revenues through criminality, with energy losses escalating from R470 million in 2022/23 to an estimated R800 million in 2024/25. The losses have made a significant dent in service delivery, plunging communities into darkness and businesses under pressure.

Towards this, the Tshwane government has invested an additional R315 million to enhance security services, initiating a comprehensive asset protection strategy consisting of:

· State-of-the-art CCTV monitoring and sophisticated motion detection systems to keep guard over strategic points.

· Intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal syndicates profiting from infrastructure vandalism.

· Fierce law enforcement reactions to arrest perpetrators.

Spies’ long experience and future plans

Spies, having entered the policing field in 1983, has served in different policing positions in the Pretoria Traffic Department and the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department. His long experience in these departments has equipped him with the expertise and strategic insight required to combat infrastructural-related crimes effectively.

Having been sworn in as Deputy Chief of Police: Asset Protection and Security Services on 1 March, Spies now leads the city’s security efforts to safeguard its strategic assets from mounting criminal threats.

“This administration has drawn a line in the sand: We will not permit the criminal takeover of public infrastructure,” said Coetzee.

“Tshwane will no longer be a soft target for organized crime under Spies’ leadership.”

Coetzee also made it clear that under Spies’ leadership, the government is determined to reclaim and safeguard the city’s infrastructure.

“Tshwane will not be held hostage, and this government will not be intimidated. We stand firm, ready to defend our city,” he said.

Expert opinion: Dr. Mary Mangai’s perspective

Dr. Mary Mangai, a senior lecturer at the School of Public Management and Administration at the University of Pretoria, presented a critical perspective of Tshwane’s protection of infrastructure challenges and possibilities.

She underscored that the state of Tshwane reflects a landscape that is marked by reactive responses, limited inter-agency coordination, and little investment in modern security technologies. Dr. Mangai, in pointing to the city’s investment in the security of its critical infrastructure, stated that the response systems remain largely fragmented and crisis-driven.

“Infrastructure security in Tshwane, as in many other South African urban areas, is still grappling to move beyond short-term damage control to long-term resilience planning,” she said. “There’s a common pattern: infrastructure is attacked or vandalized, a security response is mobilised, arrests are made – but the cycle continues because underlying vulnerabilities are not systematically addressed.

A major weakness, she said, is the absence of a unified command structure that integrates intelligence, law enforcement, infrastructure agencies, and municipal operations.

“Each department works in its silo, resulting in duplication of effort or, worse, blind spots where vulnerabilities go unseen,” she said.