DA Members of Parliament Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach and Ian Cameron said recent reports show criminals are increasingly using online platforms and covert couriers to move illegal firearms into the Western Cape. “This exposes a major weakness in South Africa’s policing. Despite identifying the proliferation of illegal guns and the need for secure cyberspace as top priorities in its Strategic Plan, SAPS has not yet fully intercepted the digital networks driving organised crime.”

The DA proposes a Cyber Commissioner to provide government and the private sector with the tools and expertise needed to tackle cyber-enabled crime. It would act as a central hub to monitor online threats, coordinate training, and set clear standards to protect sensitive information.

Most importantly, it would give SAPS and other law-enforcement agencies the capacity to investigate and disrupt criminal networks that use the internet to move firearms, drugs, and other illicit goods.

“Now that the Western Cape Police Commssioner, Thembisile Patekile, has admitted that the SAPS can not contain this situation, the DA calls on Police Minister Cachalia to step in and fully support this initiative and ensure it is implemented without delay,” the party said.

This new institution would work hand-in-hand with existing policing measures. Intelligence-led operations, cyber-forensics teams, real-time tracking of lost and stolen firearms, and partnerships with tech and cellphone companies to flag suspicious activity would support the Commissioner’s work.

“Together, these measures would allow law enforcement to not only make arrests but also secure convictions and dismantle criminal networks. By establishing a Cyber Commissioner, the DA is putting forward a practical solution to protect communities, secure cyberspace, and stop criminals from exploiting online networks to fuel violence. Modern organised crime demands modern institutions, and this is a decisive step toward making our country safer,” the DA concluded.

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This comes after a four-year-old boy died after being wounded in a gang shooting last week. According to reports, this marks the fourth shooting of a child in less than a week across three different communities. Parents, children, and innocent civilians are dying while the machinery of policing appears paralysed by delay and neglect, according to Lisa Schickerling, Democratic Alliance (DA) Spokesperson on Police.

A few weeks ago, Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia stated that he was working on a plan to curb violence in the Cape Flats. “Yet despite that promise, there is still no publicly released, concrete, and resourced plan to address the crisis. Communities continue to live in fear, and gang violence remains unchecked,” Schickerling state.

“At the same time, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has yet to release the first quarter (Q1) crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year even though they were due at the end of August. These statistics are vital for understanding where crime is increasing and for targeting police resources effectively. The continued withholding of data only fuels public suspicion and erodes trust at a time when transparency is desperately needed.”

Instead of focusing on essential administrative and operational functions, the SAPS appears to be consumed by internal management crises and time-consuming oversight processes, such as the Madlanga Commission and the proceedings of the ad hoc committee. While SAPS management is consumed by internal issues, crime carries on, the DA said.

“While oversight is important, it cannot come at the cost of day-to-day policing, community protection, and accountability.”

The party urged the Minister to ensure that SAPS’s focus returns to its core responsibilities, preventing and investigating crime, protecting vulnerable communities, and ensuring that transparency and accountability are not lost amid bureaucratic distraction.

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This is according to Nicholas Gotsell, Democratic Alliance (DA) NCOP Member on Security & Justice. He said the DA is calling for the urgent tabling of the SAPS Amendment Bill in Parliament to finally address one of the most dangerous failures in policing: the power of Provincial and Divisional Commissioners to overturn dismissal decisions and shield convicted officers from accountability.

The examples are “horrifying,” Gotsell said:

• In the Eastern Cape, a sergeant charged with rape had his dismissal set aside entirely because SAPS management claimed the evidence was “insufficient.”

• A constable charged with murder had his dismissal changed to a two-month suspension, after arguing the shooting was accidental and contributing to the funeral.

• A sergeant in the Northern Cape, charged with rape, was reinstated with a one-month suspension and later dismissed again for a separate rape case.

• Officers guilty of corruption, assault GBH, firearm abuse, fraud and even sexual harassment of subordinates, were allowed to remain in the service with little more than a slap on the wrist after having been initially dismissed by a properly constituted panel.

In the Western Cape alone, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile has overturned 17 dismissal decisions, shielding officers who were found guilty of serious misconduct, the DA said. These include a sergeant convicted in a criminal court, who was kept in the service with only a one-month suspension; a captain who assaulted a female and a club owner, whose dismissal was reduced to a mere written warning; and multiple officers who illegally handed over police exhibits, whose dismissals were replaced with final written warnings.

“Most shockingly, Patekile reinstated an officer found guilty of fraud after selling police dockets to the public, justifying it by claiming that the employment relationship had ‘not irretrievably broken down.’ These decisions reflect a disturbing tolerance for corruption and criminality within SAPS ranks and directly undermine any attempt to restore discipline or rebuild public trust,” the DA said.

“This crisis is compounded by the recent admission by the Minister of Police that SAPS has no dedicated plan to fight gang violence in the Western Cape – a stunning confession that confirms what communities on the Cape Flats have known for years: the process to devolve policing powers to capable governments must be accelerated. The situation is worsened by the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner who actively shields crooked cops, weakens discipline and delays action on critical crime-fighting resources. When gang violence is spiralling out of control, how can SAPS expect to restore order when officers guilty of corruption, fraud and misconduct are reinstated and protected?” Gotsell asked.

The SAPS Amendment Bill must be brought to Parliament without delay to strip provincial commissioners of their unchecked power to vary or reverse dismissals and create independent disciplinary oversight boards. Until SAPS leadership stops protecting criminals and starts protecting the public, no gang strategy, no deployment and no reform plan will ever succeed, the DA concluded.

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The draft regulations, currently under review, seek to impose strict limitations on private security firms, restricting access to essential equipment such as tasers, less-lethal options, and certain types of firearms. According to the DA, these changes would severely undermine the industry’s capacity to respond effectively to criminal threats.

“These regulations effectively mean that while criminals may be armed with high-powered weapons such as AK-47s, security personnel would be expected to respond with basic sidearms like 9mm pistols,” the party stated. “This puts not only security officers at risk but leaves entire communities more vulnerable to violent crime.”

In addition to safety concerns, the DA has raised alarm over the potential economic fallout. The proposed rules could lead to the arbitrary suspension of private security operations, which, in turn, may jeopardise short-term insurance coverage and destabilise an industry that employs over half a million South Africans.

“Private security plays a critical role in supporting the South African Police Service (SAPS), particularly given the high crime rates and limited capacity of public law enforcement,” the statement continued. “These regulations risk triggering massive job losses and undermining one of the few sectors effectively helping to keep communities safe.”

While acknowledging the existence of rogue elements within the industry, the DA argues that these can be dealt with under current legislation, without penalising law-abiding operators. The proposed amendments, it says, would do more harm to legitimate service providers than to the criminals they are meant to curb.

The party has also questioned the credibility of PSIRA, noting that the regulator has previously faced material findings by the Auditor-General. “It is deeply troubling that an entity with its own oversight challenges is now pushing through overreaching, impractical rules that threaten to cripple the very industry it is meant to oversee.”

The DA is urging all South Africans concerned about crime and community safety to join the campaign against what it describes as “draconian” new regulations.

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The DA urges PSIRA and the Department of Police to withdraw the draft regulations and engage in meaningful consultations with industry stakeholders. Any regulatory adjustments must reflect operational realities and prioritise the enforcement of existing laws, rather than imposing impractical new restrictions, the party said.

The proposed amendments introduce numerous vague, impractical, and legally contentious provisions, particularly in restricting where and how armed security officers may operate. Under these regulations, armed security personnel would face severe limitations in protecting public spaces such as malls, schools, churches, and hospitals unless those locations comply with an onerous list of requirements, the DA pointed out.

“Such measures would drastically reduce the presence of armed security in precisely the areas where they are most needed, hampering effective response capabilities.”

One of the more troubling aspects of the amendments is the restriction on the amount of ammunition security officers may carry, limiting it to an undefined “reasonable” quantity. Without a clear standard, enforcement would become arbitrary and inconsistent, adding yet another layer of legal uncertainty in an already over-regulated industry, the DA said.

Additionally, the amendments seek to confine the use of semi-automatic rifles to specific scenarios, such as cash-in-transit operations, critical infrastructure protection, and anti-poaching efforts. This restriction effectively disarms tactical response units and high-risk protection teams that regularly encounter violent criminal threats outside these narrow categories.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the DA added, the amendments propose a blanket prohibition on essential non-lethal security tools such as rubber bullets, water cannons, and Tasers—unless specifically registered and approved by PSIRA. “Far from enhancing public safety, this measure would leave security officers without effective means to de-escalate violent situations, putting both the public and the officers themselves at greater risk.”

The DA maintains that regulatory efforts should focus on addressing rogue elements within the industry rather than penalising the sector as a whole. According to the DA’s Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Policy, private security should be treated as a partner in public safety, not an adversary. Making it harder for security providers to operate will only weaken South Africa’s already strained security environment.

Industry stakeholders and members of the public have until 25 April 2025 to submit their objections to these amendments.

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Lisa Schickerling, DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police, said the DA will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police to request the appearance of National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to answer serious questions about the integrity and effectiveness of the SAPS consequence management system after the Portfolio Committee on Police was informed by Committee Chairperson, DA MP Ian Cameron, that Tiyo had his dismissal revoked, without explanation.

Tiyo was subjected to an inquiry, declared unfit to hold office, and eventually dismissed from his position in August 2024.  His dismissal followed allegations that he lost his laptop and firearm, and then abused crime intelligence resources to find those who stole these items.  He was further charged with kidnapping and assaulting the suspects after tracking them down.

“Tiyo’s dismissal in August 2024 was a welcome signal that misconduct within the SAPS – even at the highest level – will no longer be taken lightly.  It marked a significant step in reclaiming public trust in our law enforcement agencies,” Schickerling said.

“However, this latest revelation, that Tiyo’s dismissal has now been revoked in the dead of night, is a staggering setback for the credibility of SAPS’ consequence management systems,” she said. “It was also revealed to the Portfolio Committee that Tiyo has now been encouraged to apply for early retirement instead, notwithstanding that the SAPS’ National Instruction is clear that employees with pending criminal or departmental cases against them will not be allowed to apply for early retirement, unless recommended by, amongst others, the National Commissioner.  The DA maintains that the shocking level of misconduct that Tiyo has been found guilty of absolutely disqualifies him from such a dispensation.”

“The integrity of the South African Police Service will be in serious disrepute if the SAPS continue in the trajectory of only playing lip-service to the intention to root out rogue elements within the service. The necessary public trust between the people and the SAPS will further be eroded by such illogical actions that are seemingly counterintuitive,” said Cameron in a committee statement late last month.

“The committee’s concerns are based on the common need for a rebuilding of the SAPS to become a potent tool to combat crime. While it is encouraging that the SAPS is finally making headway in fighting crime and people are starting to have hope of a crime-free country, such actions destroy the good intentions to rebuild and strengthen the SAPS. The unfortunate thing is that such actions negatively affect the morale of the good officers within the service and the people on the ground continue to suffer under the tremendous stress induced by crime, when taxpayer’s monies must now be used to finance lost salaries and pension payouts.”

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In July 2023, the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, revealed that the construction mafias are costing the economy an estimated R68 billion, hampering infrastructure development and slowing much-needed economic growth.

“Extortion rackets have spread like a cancer, not only crippling the construction industry but also severely damaging the small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) that form the backbone of our economy. This, in turn, limits job creation, stifles entrepreneurship, and prevents development in already vulnerable communities,” Lisa Schickerling, DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police the Democratic Alliance, said in a statement following the tabling of the report.

The construction industry, which should be a driver of economic recovery, has become a key target for these mafias, further destabilising South Africa’s economic potential. The report also notes that preferential procurement regulations, which require 30% of public sector projects to be subcontracted to local participants, are being misapplied, opening the door to extortion by criminal elements.

The DA reiterated its call for a multidisciplinary approach involving the South African Police Service (SAPS), Crime Intelligence, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). “Without close cooperation between frontline police services and prosecution authorities, we cannot make meaningful progress in dismantling these syndicates,” Schickerling said.

“We welcome the ongoing clean-up of corruption within SAPS but note that much more needs to be done. This includes higher-quality security screenings, rigorous lifestyle audits for senior officers, and greater transparency in the fight against corruption within the police force,” the Schickerling statement added.

“The recent establishment of an extortion hotline is a step in the right direction. However, it must be properly resourced, capacitated, and operationally effective to avoid the same failures that have plagued the 10111 call centres. Proper reporting mechanisms and follow-through must be ensured to restore public confidence in the system.

“The DA also welcomes the collaborative crime-fighting agreement between SAPS, the City of Cape Town, and the Western Cape Government. The agreement, born from a new spirit of collaboration thanks to the Government of National unity (GNU), has finally opened the field to engaging with new and innovative approaches to cooperative policing. The police have since signed agreements with the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

“The DA notes the Committee’s recommendations, including further engagement with National Treasury to secure additional funding for targeted interventions against organised crime, and calls for an intensified focus on interdepartmental coordination and intelligence sharing to disrupt extortion rackets.

“Additionally, the DA calls for the committee to prioritise apprehending high-level leaders of these criminal organisations and to address corruption within the police force through enhanced integrity screenings and lifestyle audits,” Schickerling concluded.

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The ANC prioritises community policing, emphasising the involvement of local communities in crime prevention. On the other hand, the DA advocates for a more professional and well-equipped police force.

Interestingly, a compatibility test has shown that if the ANC and DA were to form a coalition, their combined efforts could effectively decrease crime rates.

Independent social economist and business and process consultant, Louis Kruger has measured the parties’ compatibility, by analysing their policies, media responses and press releases, public sentiment surveys and case studies.

“After evaluating the potential outcomes of various coalition arrangements following the 2024 South African elections, I believe that a partnership between the ANC and DA could have a positive impact on public safety and crime reduction in the country.”

Kruger said the ANC and DA‘s take on public safety and crime are:

• Policing Strategies: Both parties want better policing but have different methods. ANC focuses on community policing, while DA wants more professional and well-resourced police.
• Crime Prevention: ANC believes in community programs to prevent crime, while DA wants to use data and evidence to create effective strategies.
• Judicial Reforms: Both want a better judicial system, but the DA pushes more for accountability and speed.
• Corruption: Both agree on fighting corruption, but the DA is stricter about transparency.
• Resource Allocation: ANC wants resources spread fairly across communities, while DA focuses on using resources efficiently and transparently.“

“By combining their respective 40.18% and 21.81% vote shares, the ANC and DA would represent a majority of the population and could form a moderate, more stable coalition government. This political stability and centrist approach could send positive signals to the business community, encouraging investment and economic growth. In turn, increased economic opportunities and social programs aimed at addressing the root causes of crime could contribute to a safer public environment.”

“While no political solution is perfect, an ANC-DA coalition has the potential to strike a balance between the parties’ differing perspectives and prioritise the common goal of improving public safety for all South Africans,” Kruger explained.

Independent researcher on policing, David Bruce told ProtectionWeb a coalition “certainly could” lead to crime reduction.

“It would depend on appointing a minister who is strongly motivated to improve public safety and is suitable for the job in terms of being able to negotiate both the political and the policy side of the issue. Generally we have had ministers who are politicians but who neglect the need for strategic policy on how to strengthen the police,” he said.

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Results from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) showed that the African National Congress was in the lead with 42.3% of the votes.

The Democratic Alliance had 26.3 of the support from this voting districts while the Economic Freedom Fighters won 8.1% of the votes.

Election Day for hundreds of South Africans stretched into Thursday morning as “faulty scanners” plagued many voting stations. The IEC then ordered presiding officers to use the manual method instead.

To keep up to date on the results, visit the IEC results dashboard.

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The manifesto has it that John Steenhuisen’s party, if it gains a majority, will halve the rate of violent crime, which sees approximately 75 South Africans murdered each day and South Africa lose 10% of its annual gross domestic product.

“South Africans live in fear of crime because they have no reason to believe that the SAPS will protect them,” the DA says in its manifesto. “Due to a lack of trust and confidence in the SAPS and justice system, there is chronic underreporting of crime…A lack of specialised policing and a loss of skills in SAPS has resulted in an increase in gangsterism and the use of drugs as gangs have evolved into criminal empires running complex operations involving drug trafficking, robbery, money laundering, racketeering, extortion, human trafficking, and prostitution. In rural areas, the remoteness and greater distances between properties compared to urban areas make visible policing almost impossible, resulting in an escalation in farm attacks and farm murders.”

Before presenting its solutions, the DA highlighted that the SAPS suffers from severe capacity constraints as evidenced by a reduction in its staff complement from 199 345 in 2011/12 to only 182 126 in 2021/22. “There has also been a loss of specialists, a lack of evidence-based policing and a failure to utilise modern technology or keep abreast of international trends in crime-fighting. The national government has failed to meaningfully recognise and integrate private security services, neighbourhood watches and other private role players in enhancing safety and security and has instead treated them as threats.”

The DA also pointed to institutional and capacity issues in the criminal justice system, including severe court backlogs, and facilities being poorly maintained. “The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) capacity has been significantly eroded, the Hawks lack sufficient independence or capacity, and the State Security Agency (SSA) has been heavily factionalised and misused for political and personal interests.”

To “rescue South Africans from crime, corruption and lawlessness,” the DA aims to strengthen the criminal justice system, and decentralise the police service and ensure more local accountability. “This will involve devolving specific policing management and governance functions to competent local and provincial government while maintaining a national police force. By allowing capable provincial and metro governments to manage their own SAPS forces, they can tailor policies and policing plans that are more appropriate to their specific needs, bringing security and safety closer to the communities they serve.”

Other activities towards combatting crime and improving South Africa’s criminal justice system will include moving towards evidence-based policing; identifying crime hotspots; reducing bloated senior SAPS management; establishing coordinated partnerships with private security, neighbourhood watches, and other private role-players in safety and security through a whole-of-society approach; protecting whistle-blowers; conducting SAPS lifestyle audits; strengthening the forensic capacity of the SAPS;and taking cybercrime seriously, using sophisticated technology such as data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and digital forensics to protect the state and the South African public against cybercrime.

The fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) will be a priority of a DA government, with various interventions to combat the scourge, ranging from police training to victim support.

To avoid a repeat of the July 2021 unrest, the DA proposes implementing the Panel of Experts Report recommendations into the July 2021 Unrest by establishing a dedicated training facility for public order policing (POP) officers, conducting periodic assessments and properly equipping officers to deal with potentially fatal injuries. A “use of force” policy will be adopted, specifically for the SAPS POP units, limiting lethal force to situations with no reasonable alternative.

The DA is for responsible firearm ownership and cracking down on the smuggling of firearms by the SAPS to gangsters and criminals.

To address rural crime, including farm attacks, the DA proposes creating rural safety units together with Rural Community Policing Units; creating rural radio networks including the use of CCTV and drones; adequately capacitating anti-stock-theft units; and introducing legislation to criminalise and prevent orchestrated land invasions.

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