The Portfolio Committee on Police convened a marathon oversight session to examine the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) 2025/26 Annual Performance Plan (APP), strategic framework, and proposed budget. The meeting brought together MPs, police leadership, two police labour unions, and oversight stakeholders in a bid to scrutinise the operational readiness of the service amid rising public concern about crime, police corruption, and systemic weaknesses in infrastructure and personnel deployment.

Chairperson of the committee, Ian Cameron, opened proceedings by reinforcing Parliament’s constitutional duty to hold SAPS accountable. Cameron emphasised the need for measurable, outcome-based performance indicators that align with national priorities such as crime reduction, combating gender-based violence, professionalisation of the police, and restoring public trust in law enforcement. With extensive inputs scheduled, members were urged to use their speaking time judiciously, and a timer was introduced to manage the full agenda effectively.

Infrastructure Deficiencies Threaten Operational Capability

Site inspections conducted during recent oversight visits to police stations in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal painted a troubling picture. Committee members observed hazardous working conditions in several stations. In Verulam, for instance, dilapidated infrastructure was so severe that water leaked onto exposed electrical wiring, prompting a provincial commissioner to relocate staff immediately due to health and safety concerns.

Durban Central Police Station was found to be functioning under dire conditions, with most of its detention cells unusable due to flooding and plumbing issues. None of the lifts were operational, air-conditioning systems had broken down, and generators were either faulty or entirely inoperative. These failures, the committee warned, not only risked the safety of personnel but also undermined the service’s ability to function effectively, particularly in high-crime areas.

Committee members unanimously agreed that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) was a bottleneck in effecting timely repairs and upgrades. Several MPs proposed that SAPS be given direct control of infrastructure budgets, with calls for joint committee meetings to monitor progress and ensure accountability. POPCRU, one of the two recognised police unions, supported this proposal, asserting that DPWI’s inefficiency has repeatedly hindered policing efforts.

Extortion and Organised Crime Take Centre Stage

A substantial part of the deliberations focused on the country’s growing extortion crisis, particularly within the taxi industry and informal business sectors. The committee stressed the need for a multi-faceted legislative and operational approach to combat organised extortion syndicates.

Recommendations included:

• A comprehensive legislative review to close legal loopholes hampering prosecution.
• The establishment of specialised courts for extortion and organised crime cases.
• Collaboration with the Department of Transport to introduce regulations obliging car rental agencies to track and report vehicles used in criminal activities.
• A partnership with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prioritise cases involving organised crime.

One of the more alarming revelations was the widespread involvement of children in school-based extortion rackets, especially in under-resourced areas. The committee called for harsher sentencing for adults who exploit minors, and for enhanced collaboration with social development departments to curb recruitment of vulnerable youth into criminal networks.

Labour Unions Raise Red Flags on Staffing, Morale, and Corruption

Both SAPU and POPCRU, the recognised unions representing SAPS members, provided extensive input and painted a bleak picture of internal morale. SAPU warned that uneven distribution of overtime compensation was fostering resentment and reducing operational efficiency. Members in specialised and investigative units were reportedly overworked without adequate remuneration, while certain elite units, such as VIP Protection Services, received disproportionately high allocations for overtime.

SAPU also raised alarms about career stagnation, citing that some officers eligible for promotion since 2018 remained stuck at the same rank due to a lack of funding for personnel progression. This, they argued, not only demoralises employees but also fuels susceptibility to bribery and corruption.

POPCRU echoed concerns about systemic inefficiencies but took particular aim at SAPS’s top-heavy management structure, which it described as “bloated”. The union called for the devolution of expertise and authority from national and provincial headquarters to local police stations, where frontline crime prevention actually occurs. It also challenged the credibility of SAPS’s recruitment efforts, arguing that the service continues to onboard underqualified candidates, driven more by unemployment statistics than policing passion or skill.

Both unions called for the SAPS Amendment Bill, which has been stalled since 2020, to be revived and passed into law to provide structural clarity, allow for the professionalisation of the force, and address issues of accountability and promotion.

Technology and Forensics: An Underutilised Asset

Committee members raised serious concerns about the status of SAPS forensic science laboratories, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. Despite R500,000 per month in rent being paid for a facility that was only 50% functional, the lab remained under-equipped and lacked capacity, severely affecting the chain of evidence in criminal investigations. Members criticised the government’s long-standing failure to build a dedicated forensic lab, despite identifying and approving a site nearly two decades ago.

On the technology front, POPCRU warned that expensive crime-fighting tools, such as body-worn cameras, risk becoming ineffective due to lack of training, poor maintenance, and unclear usage protocols. The union called for SAPS to focus on upskilling personnel before investing in new gadgets. MPs agreed that oversight would continue over SAPS’s transition to modern policing methods, stressing the need for clear implementation and performance benchmarks.

A Call for Greater Transparency and Implementation

Despite being largely satisfied with the comprehensive nature of the APP and strategic plans, MPs insisted on the need for regular updates and accountability mechanisms. They demanded that SAPS provide quarterly reports on infrastructure upgrades, forensic backlogs, extortion investigations, and staffing performance to ensure continuous parliamentary oversight.

Several committee members endorsed the idea of a recurring joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure to directly track improvements across identified critical sites. Others supported a proposal to include the Department of Social Development in future meetings to address the socio-economic roots of youth criminality, especially in extortion-related activities.

Committee Adopts Report, Sets Future Priorities

The committee adopted its oversight report with several amendments based on feedback received during the hearing. It reiterated its commitment to ensuring a professional, effective, and well-resourced police service, underpinned by strategic alignment with national development goals.

In closing, the Chairperson reaffirmed the committee’s determination to remain actively engaged with the SAPS leadership, civil society, and labour representatives to ensure that commitments made on paper are translated into meaningful, measurable change on the ground.

The committee will reconvene in the coming weeks to receive updated feedback from the police ministry and continue monitoring the implementation of the 2025/26 policing strategy.