Speaking at the Ministerial Business Partnership Dinner, a formal engagement aimed at strengthening collaboration between government and private industry, Minister Mchunu underscored the importance of moving beyond rhetoric and towards meaningful, measurable outcomes. His address comes in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2023 directive to the SAPS to urgently seek out cooperative frameworks with business, as part of a broader effort to enhance public safety.

“We are here tonight to breathe life into the partnership between SAPS and the business community,” Mchunu said. “We are not merely sharing a meal; we are recommitting ourselves to a shared responsibility in the fight against crime and corruption.”

The Minister emphasised the significance of the Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy, which places partnerships at the heart of a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach to crime prevention. He noted that the strategy aims to build consensus around specific interventions that these partnerships can deliver, offering a path forward in tackling South Africa’s persistent criminal threats.

Mchunu painted a sobering picture of the security landscape. He raised alarm over the high murder rate, the proliferation of illegal firearms, which were implicated in 43 percent of murders recorded in the third quarter of the previous year, and the growing presence of transnational drug trafficking syndicates. He said the police were actively dismantling both domestic and cross-border criminal networks and are currently addressing inefficiencies in the Central Firearms Registry.

Other serious crimes on the rise include kidnappings, extortion, and stock theft. The Minister expressed concern over these trends, stating that continued violent crime, organised crime and corruption pose a threat to the country’s democratic institutions and economic stability. Such criminality, he said, undermines investor confidence and hinders national development.

A particularly painful issue remains gender-based violence and femicide. Mchunu referenced the recent rape and murder of an eight-day-old baby by her father, who has since received two life sentences, as an example of the horrific violence still facing women and children in South Africa. He stressed the importance of safeguarding the country’s most vulnerable, affirming that this must remain a top priority.

The Minister reaffirmed that SAPS is constitutionally mandated to ensure that all South Africans are and feel safe, a responsibility he described as solemn, not symbolic. He stated that the Ministry is focused on building a professional, responsive, and ethical police service, but stressed that vision alone was insufficient. Adequate resources, including infrastructure, skilled personnel and financial investment, are essential to realising the vision of a modern and effective police force.

To that end, the Ministry is prioritising the adoption of advanced technology, strengthening of crime intelligence, improved detective work, the revitalisation of forensic services, and better working conditions for officers. These, he said, are critical enablers of SAPS’s strategic objectives.

Reflecting on the Cooperation Agreements signed with Gauteng Metros in October 2024, Mchunu hailed the initiative as a bold and significant step forward. Business, he noted, had been at the table from the start, and the collaboration had now matured into a partnership focused on three strategic areas: enhancing investigative capacity, the provision of physical resources, and the application of technological innovation.

Among the most notable developments is a pilot project to automate five police stations, with the intention of eventually expanding the system nationally. The longstanding issue of docket management is also being tackled through the development of secure, digitised systems for storage and tracking.

Mchunu acknowledged reputational damage caused by underperforming forensic laboratories but insisted that change is underway. SAPS is working to increase the number of labs and improve the turnaround time for processing DNA and other tests. In a show of support, the business community has committed to equipping laboratories with cutting-edge technology, expanding their number, and exploring the establishment of electronic laboratories.

A meeting with the chief executives of various business entities was scheduled to follow the evening’s engagement, intended to lay the groundwork for the next phase of the collaboration. A SAPS/Business Stakeholder Forum will be established to ensure that commitments are followed through with action. Mchunu was clear that this partnership must not descend into a mere “talk shop”, but rather serve as a vehicle for meaningful and sustained progress.

Looking ahead, the Minister announced the start of a three-day National Policing Summit, beginning the following day. The summit will focus on shaping the future of policing in South Africa and aims to build a service that is efficient, proactive, professional, and capable of responding to the demands of a dynamic society.

Concluding his address, Mchunu made a strong appeal for genuine commitment from all parties involved. “It is easy to commit in words. It is much harder to commit in action,” he said. “Tonight, I call on all of us, government, SAPS, and business leaders, to move beyond theory and into implementation. Let us walk this path together, not just with good intentions, but with concrete plans, measurable progress, and shared accountability.”

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Organised under the theme “Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential”, the summit is in harmony with Chapter 12 of the National Development Plan (NDP), which deals with the development of safer communities. The conference intends to critically examine current policing models and experiment with new ones to enhance the South African Police Service (SAPS).

“The conference will address South Africa’s crime rates by examining current policing methodologies and finding better methods of doing policing for SAPS,” announced the Presidency in a statement.

The three-day event will address a range of issues around law enforcement in an effort to optimize SAPS operations according to the 2030 NDP agenda. The four themes that would be discussed include:

– Proven and tested policing strategies that have successfully reduced crime and enhanced public safety in neighborhoods.

– Adaptation to changing characteristics of modern policing, for example, altering trends in crime and society.

– How technology is transforming modern policing, for example, AI-driven surveillance, forensic examination, and data-driven police work.

– Investigation, intelligence, and professional staff development to equip law enforcement agencies with professionalism, skills, and expertise.

The summit will assemble the nation’s top law enforcement leaders, policy specialists, and community members to share opinions, best practices, and recommendations. These discussions will shape future crime-fighting strategies and foster enhanced collaboration between the government, the business sector, and civil society.

Prior to the summit, the Ministerial Business Commitment Dinner will be hosted by the Ministry of Police, a feature event which will be used to emphasise the growing and productive collaboration between business and law enforcement. The event will bring together key stakeholders from Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA), other business stakeholders, and the South African Police Service (SAPS), reiterating the commitment for a whole-of-government, whole-of-society response to fighting crime and making communities safer.

Cooperation initiatives, as identified through consultation with BACSA, have led to the creation of various joint projects where business and SAPS can work together to fight crime and improve security measures in various industries. The Ministerial Business Commitment Dinner will be used as a platform for the advancement of the actual dividends of business-law enforcement partnerships. The dinner will be an opportunity for guests to participate in the discussion of future projects, exchange knowledge, and determine additional opportunities for cooperation.

At the upcoming summit, SAPS Head of Communications Major-General Phokane stressed the need for crafting a holistic approach to crime prevention.

“The Police Summit will be a key platform for experts and practitioners to exchange views, network, and engage with stakeholders on new strategies. Crime being one of South Africa’s most pressing problems, we need a radical and concerted effort to tackle it decisively,” Maj-Gen Phokane said.

Maj-General also underscored that the Ministerial Business Commitment Dinner would showcase tangible outcomes of law enforcement-private sector partnerships.

“The dinner will be an opportunity to discuss upcoming projects, learn from each other, and find other areas of partnership,” further added.

The meeting is expected to receive intense media coverage and public interest, with the debates expected to set the tone for future policing policy and crime-busting approach in South Africa. Journalists are encouraged to report on the proceedings and highlights of the major findings of the deliberations.

As South Africa grapples with a high crime rate, this summit presents a key moment where police and policymakers can rise to the challenge of building a better, safer future for the nation.

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