Parliament, Thursday, 15 October 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Police warned this week that persistent weaknesses in criminal investigations, forensic services, police accountability and financial management continue to undermine the effectiveness of policing and South Africans’ safety.
The committee called for urgent corrective action across the policing portfolio as it adopted its Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) on the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board (commonly known as the DNA Board) and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) on Wednesday. The reports identify critical shortcomings that, if left unaddressed, will continue to compromise investigations, delay justice and weaken public confidence in policing institutions.
The committee stressed that its recommendations must not become a box-ticking exercise or reports that gather dust. They must translate into practical, measurable interventions that address systemic weaknesses and ensure that public funds deliver tangible improvements in policing and public safety.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Ian Cameron, said the reports too often show activity without enough evidence of results. “The central question is whether spending and reported achievements are producing properly investigated cases, safer communities and meaningful consequences for wrongdoing,” he said.
The committee’s observations and recommendations come at a time when four more people lost their lives to violence. The shooting incident in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, reportedly also left three others in hospital. The latest incident comes amid growing demands from families across Ekurhuleni for answers following the discovery of the bodies of 12 women in recent months. While these are separate investigations, both developments underscore the devastating human cost of violent crime and the need for effective, accountable policing.
The committee noted that behind every murder statistic is a family waiting for justice. Similarly, behind every delayed forensic result is a victim or survivor waiting for answers, sometimes for months or years. It stressed that when investigations stall and evidence is delayed, communities fear perpetrators may never be held accountable.
In its report, the committee raised concerns about the performance of detective services. According to its annual report, the SAPS achieved 49 of its 94 annual targets, with its detective services programming meeting only nine of its 22 targets. The reported murder detection rate stood at 9.5%, against a target of 60%. The committee demanded clarity on how the rate was calculated and the underlying figures used. It also cautioned that a high conviction rate among cases that reach a court outcome does not, on its own, demonstrate how effectively the police investigate reported murders or how likely a bereaved family is to see a case brought to justice.
“The committee has demanded that the SAPS must account for the full course of a case, including where investigations stall, why matters do not reach prosecution and what happens to unresolved cases,” Mr Cameron said. “The response must include properly supported detectives, functioning vehicles and forensic capacity and coordination with prosecutors.”
The Chairperson insisted that for these recommendations to make a meaningful difference, a culture of accountability and transparency must be firmly entrenched across the portfolio.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR IAN CAMERON.
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