(Graphics: Maroela Media)
Action Society welcomes various proposed adjustments to the South African Police Service Amendment Act, but warns that new structures and administrative changes on their own will not make South Africans safer.
The pressure group says the recent proposals for the South African Police Service Amendment Act (B18-2026) contain several positive measures to improve professionalism, accountability, integrity and discipline in the police service. The bill includes, among other things, lifestyle audits, integrity tests for new members, stronger disciplinary systems and improved management of forensic services.
Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society, says the success of the bill should not be measured by the number of new committees, structures or reporting mechanisms that are created. This should be measured by the extent to which more cases are solved, more criminals are convicted and more victims are protected.
“People are not asking for neither structures nor reports. They are asking for safer communities, competent investigations and justice for victims,” says Du Preez.
She says that South Africans are affected daily by serious crime such as murder, rape, robbery and violence. Against this background, any reform of the police service must ultimately be judged according to tangible outcomes.
Action Society believes that the proposed integrity tests, lifestyle audits and dedicated disciplinary structures can strengthen public trust in the police if properly applied. However, the organization emphasizes that corruption, misconduct and lack of accountability continue to undermine trust in law enforcement.
(Foto: ChatGPT)
The organization also welcomes provisions regarding forensic and DNA management, but warns that better administrative control alone will not solve South Africa’s ongoing forensic crisis.
According to Action Society, parliament, oversight bodies and the national forensic oversight and ethics board have already raised concerns about DNA backlogs, long waiting times for analyses, vacancies for forensic analysts and their effect on investigations into rape, gender-based violence, murder and other serious crimes.
“The problem in South Africa is not a lack of legislation. The problem is the implementation,” says Du Preez.
“Victims do not experience the forensic system through policy and regulations. They experience it through the question of whether evidence is processed in time, whether investigations progress and whether perpetrators are held accountable.”
Action Society also says some of the provisions strengthen centralized authority in the police service and strengthen national oversight of municipal police services.
Although cooperation between law enforcement agencies is important, the organization believes that the possible effects of the reforms on local accountability and communities’ influence on policing priorities should be looked at.
The proposed restructuring of community policing forums (CPFs) and other community oversight mechanisms should receive particular attention, according to the organisation.
(Photo: SA Police)
“Communities must remain active partners in the fight against crime,” says Du Preez.
Action Society further believes that the bill misses an important chance to place greater emphasis on investigative capacity. Poor investigations, overworked detectives, lost evidence, delayed forensic results and inadequate case preparation continue to undermine the criminal justice system and contribute to low conviction rates.
As parliament considers the bill, Action Society says it will closely monitor the process and continue to advocate for a policing system that puts victims, accountability and measurable results first.
“Professionalisation is welcome. Accountability is welcome. Better management is welcome,” says Du Preez. “But South Africans will measure this bill against a much simpler yardstick: Are criminals caught? Do victims get justice? And do communities become safer?”