Making communities safer
Crime has a severe impact on the quality of life of all South Africans, particularly the poor. High levels of crime also thwart efforts to stimulate growth, increase investment and reduce poverty.
Over the past year, we have continued to direct significant resources and effort to fight crime and keep communities around the country safe.
Government continues to visibly increase police presence on the streets as a further deterrent to criminal activities, especially in crime hotspots. We have increased the number of police personnel, and 20 000 new police trainees have now been recruited to ensure that the South African Police Service (SAPS) urgently gets the capacity it needs.
We have appointed new leadership in the SAPS, Hawks, NPA and State Security Agency to ensure the stability, integrity and capability of these key crime-fighting bodies.
In the media
Anton du Plessis: Despite headwinds, NPA is winning fight for justice, but reform needed
The NPA ended 2022 on a high. We had made significant progress against state capture corruption by enrolling several seminal cases against high-profile politicians, public sector officials and corporate leaders.
News24
SAPS raises age limit to 35 ahead of 2024/2025 recruitment process
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has embarked on its 2024/2025 recruitment process in which an additional 10 000 youth between the ages of 18 and 35 will be trained to serve as men and women in blue.
News24
Minister Bheki Cele: Release of quarter one crime statistics 2023/2024
Speaking notes delivered by Police Minister General Bheki Cele (MP) at the release of the quarter one crime statistics 2023/2024 hosted in Pretoria, Gauteng
www.gov.za
With more police on the street, with functioning community policing forums and an effective and independent prosecution authority, our people will be able to count on the protection of the state.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
SONA 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
An extra 5,000 police officers have been deployed to Public Order Policing.
The SAPS has launched Operation Shanela as a new approach to target crime hotspots, which has resulted in over 285,000 arrests since May last year.
The launch of the new Border Management Authority has improved the security of our borders and has already stopped over 100,000 people who tried to enter our country illegally.
Economic Infrastructure Task Teams operational in all provinces have had important successes in combatting cable theft, damage to critical infrastructure and illegal mining.
A National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence (GBV) was developed, together with civil society, as a society wide response to this pandemic.
Around R21 billion was dedicated over the medium term to the implementation of the six pillars of the National Strategic Plan on GBV, including the economic empowerment of women.
South African Sign Language is now the 12th official language of our country.