Lack of capacity hampered response to July unrests, admit Sitole

Sitole testified at the commission’s hearings into the July unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

On day six of the commission’s hearings, which saw over 300 people killed and scores of shops looted and vandalised, the commission turned its focus to the police.

Sithole told the commission that there is a shortage of officers in the public order policing unit.

He said the unit has just above 5000 members instead of the required 12 000.

“According to the current structure, we have level 1 and 2 capacities at each and every police station, which is there to provide an immediate response to a public order situation should it arise.

“But then we then have a level 3 capacity kept at the level of provincial and national which is always there awaiting any situation to escalate to level 3, the moment a situation escalates to level 3 then a level 3 capacity is deployed.

Over and above that level we then have a contingency plan with further reserve to complement any province should there be a crisis.

“But at the present moment, we have got an extremely limited capacity of that particular reserve, because of the fact that our numbers are completely limited and down. Instead of having 12 000 we are at 5000 and the demand by Gauteng alone is 4000.”

Despite the shortage of 6500, Sitole told the commission police will be able to respond should there be another unrest.

“It will depend on the modus operandi approach, what type of modus operandi is being utilised. But from the readiness of the organisation, I have established an operationalised modus operandi analysis centre, because what I can add to this recent unrest there was also a use of technology which lifted modus operandi to another level.

“I can give the assurance that yes we can be able to provide a response but we still need to continue with the growth of the organisation.”

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