Political parties are concerned about the renewal of public trust in the SAPS after Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane was appointed as the acting national police commissioner.
Image: Phando Jikelo / RSA Parliament
The safety and security of the community are dependent on a strong, ethical, honest, and trustworthy police force that is obliged to conduct itself without fear, favour, or prejudice.
Patrick Pillay, leader of the Democratic Liberal Congress (DLC) in the eThekwini Municipality, made the statement in reaction to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane as acting national police commissioner on Thursday.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola was placed on precautionary suspension after appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, on four counts of violating the Public Finance Management Act.
Ramaphosa stated that Dimpane had close to two decades of experience in the police service and was the divisional commissioner for financial management services.
Dimpane also testified at the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Pillay said Ramaphosa made the right decision on suspending Masemola and restoring hope to all South Africans.
“Decisions of this importance must be made without procrastination. It is about time that the government sorts out all types and forms of corruption and malfeasance within the SAPS.”
He further said that the lives of civil society are paramount for a prosperous, safe, and economically viable country.
“It is, however, a major concern for the DLC that these important positions must be permanent, because acting positions result in wasted taxpayers' funding that will literally procrastinate the filling of the position permanently,” Pillay said.
Other political parties highlighted that public trust in the SAPS reached an all-time low, while the morale of the police on the ground was declining.
Wouter Wessels, Freedom Front Plus national chairperson, said evidence given before the Madlanga Commission and testimony heard by the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on organised crime and police involvement left Ramaphosa with no other choice but to take this step.
“Since General George Fivaz retired, not a single national police commissioner has completed his or her term of office. This highlights the depth of the historical crisis affecting the police service, while crime levels are at an all-time high,” he said.
Geordin Hill-Lewis, federal leader of the DA, stated that this was a necessary step to protect the integrity of the office and to ensure that the SAPS can continue to function while due process takes its course.
“This is not a sign of a healthy police service,” he said.
Jacques Broodryk, spokesperson for community safety at AfriForum, warned that the latest developments were destabilising the SAPS even further.
He said these suspensions and appointments were a shameful result of the long-standing systemic decline of the SAPS.
Ian Cameron, the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, said the decision marks a necessary and long-overdue step towards restoring credibility and stability within SAPS, particularly at a time when public confidence in the institution has been severely tested.
He emphasised that the suspension sets an important precedent that must be consistently applied across the entire policing system, serving as a deterrent against misconduct and maladministration.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za