Durban — The worst-performing section in the SAPS was the Detective Service Programme, which achieved 51% of its annual performance targets.
This was revealed on Wednesday in the SAPS annual report predetermined objectives portfolio committee on police 2021/22. The report stated that under-performance was recorded in the detection rates of organised crime, including the reduction of drug syndicates and organised criminal groups and gangs; the percentage of results of trials updated in respect of guilty and not guilty verdicts; the generation of previous conviction reports, and all forensic evidence-related targets.
The SAPS spend on crime prevention, including police station environment, was R35 billion; mounted units R156 million; dog units R903m; railway R1.2bn; 10111 centres R1.2bn and detainees’ meals and medical R271m.
Border security was R2.2bn; specialised interventions, including Special Task Force R79m; Public Order Policing R2.8bn, Tactical Response Teams R483m and Air Wing R295m.
Other expenses were leases R1.5bn, municipal services R1.4bn, maintenance and property rates R1.6bn.
The budget spent on crime investigations, R13.8bn, includes general investigations R11bn, family violence and child protection units R1.2bn, vehicle theft units R546m, and stock theft units R631m.
Highlights of the SAPS include the conversion of 33 chassis cab trucks into new mobile contact points in 2021/22. The SAPS modernised all four planned high sites and implemented 94 National Network Communication Infrastructure Sites. All 31449 identified illegal liquor outlets were closed.
The report stated that a total number of 712 SAPS-owned firearms were reported lost or stolen in 2021/22 due to the escalation of crime against members, including, but not limited to robbery in townships, housebreaking, theft from dwellings, as well as negligence by members.
Nearly 1 584 profiled vehicles at land ports, 3 324 profiled containers at sea ports and 2278 profiled cargo consignments at airports were searched for illegal facilitation of persons, contraband, illicit goods and/or stolen/ robbed property.
Furthermore, 6 149 peaceful crowd management incidents were policed; 2 604 unrest crowd management incidents were stabilised; and 1278 medium to high-risk incidents were responded to by National Intervention Units and the Special Task Force, as well as six illegal mining operations.
The number of escapes from police custody was 568. In two separate incidents, in Prestbury, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mount Frere, Eastern Cape, more than 10 escapees escaped during one incident. In some instances, members were not adhering to official directives.
Daily News