Expert blames 'politicised police force' for weakened intelligence
Violence monitor Mary de Haas says a highly politicised police force is likely to blame for the country's weak intelligence.
The comments follow recent incidents that raised questions about South Africa's ability to respond security threats.
In July, SA made international headlines when warehouses, malls, retail shops and factories went up in flames in what government has categorised as an attempted insurrection.
Shelves were emptied while some major roads were blockaded, brining operations and economic activity in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to a grinding halt.
At least 300 people were reported dead in the aftermath.
Government admitted intelligence structures had been caught napping.
More recently, a hostage drama captured the imaginations of South Africans.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, her deputy Thabang Makwetla and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele were locked in the St George's Hotel in Centurion after talks between military veterans and government collapsed.
This time, government downplayed the security breach.
De Haas says the ANC's cadre deployment is among the reasons the police force remains compromised.
"Policing wasn't great in the country post-1994 generally but after the [Jacob] Zuma takeover of government, it just went from bad to worse and you got a very serious politicisation of policing - first with [Bheki] Cele as the National Commissioner and then [Rea] Phiyega who wasn't a policeman but was just there to take political instruction
"The problem is that police are spilt down the middle," de Haas says.
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Claims of divisions in the police structures have been rife for years.
National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole may well be the latest casualty as his future hangs in the balance.
De Haas adds a political task team that reports directly to Police Minister Bheki Cele is adding to policing woes.
"It emerged in July that quite a few of the police support Zuma so they weren't going to lift a finger, were they? That's how badly policing has been politicised."
"Cele has these connections in crime intelligence; he controls this political task team. You can't run a police service like this, you've got to have one line of command, not a divided political service."
Hundreds were arrested for the July unrest, including prominent political activists such as Ngizwe Mchunu and Bonginkosi Khanyile.
Meanwhile, more than 50 people appeared in court on charges of kidnapping for holding government officials against their will.
Listen to de Haas below:
