South African Police Failures Demand Urgent Reform

The July 2021 attacks on South Africa's economic infrastructure exposed severe weakness in the police at a time of national crisis. Police were often missing in action as thousands raided malls and shut down transport, supply chains and logistics hubs. But will the South African Police Service (SAPS) perform better next time? Will this most recent high-profile police failure be the impetus for bold and urgent reforms in the interest of political stability and public safety?

The crisis of July 2021 should be the turning point for a vital function of the state, with its huge budget and vast human resources. It is now clear how important the SAPS' performance is to the government's ability to keep the economy, water, power, education and healthcare functioning. Separately, recent data from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate reveal that policemen have been accused of nearly 1,000 rapes since 2012 with up to 97% of those accused not being convicted in court.

Fixing the police is possible but will only happen with political recognition that a well-trained, high-functioning, ethical and accountable police service is critical to the country's success,writes Gareth Newham for the Institute for Security Studies.

Violence erupted when Zuma began serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court. Looters have vandalised shopping malls, other retail outlets and businesses in Gauteng province, which includes the country's largest city of Johannesburg, and in Zuma's home province, KwaZulu-Natal. In an address to the nation on July 11, 2021 about the extension of the country's novel coronavirus lockdown measures, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the violence, saying that "those who are involved in acts of violence will be arrested and prosecuted".