Police not security guards for taxi industry- Mchunu
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has warned the taxi industry that police officers are not security guards for private transport businesses amid a recent surge in taxi-related violence.
His comments follow a deadly shooting at a Cape Town taxi rank last Friday, where four people were killed and three others injured after unknown gunmen stormed the taxi rank office and opened fire.
Speaking at a media briefing, Mchunu condemned the ongoing bloodshed and challenged the industry to uphold the law and resolve internal disputes without resorting to violence.
“We are saying to them: find ways of sustaining that industry, which we so need as government for transporting citizens in the country, but without blood. And it’s doable,” said Mchunu.
“Comply with the rules that municipalities and the Department of Transport give, and create peace. Find ways of resolving your problems amongst yourselves without wanting to be policed by police.”
At the same briefing, Mchunu outlined a set of initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of the South African Police Service.
These include better technology use, improvements in fleet and infrastructure management, and critical upgrades to forensic services.
“We know that where forensics is important, we cannot delay cases. We must enable progress, especially in relation to rape and murders,” he added.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola announced that SAPS will begin recruiting 5,500 new police trainees by the end of June.
Training is scheduled to start between January and February next year.
For the first time, applicants will be able to apply online as SAPS launches an electronic recruitment system designed to prevent corruption and lost applications.
“We are moving away from the manual way of doing things and embracing technology to tighten our control measures,” said Masemola.
“This system also aims to avoid allegations that applications are being lost or manipulated. Applying to join SAPS is free – anyone asking for a fee is a scammer, and we’ve already arrested people for that.”
Masemola revealed that over 57,000 police officers have been promoted between 2018 and 2023.
For the current financial year, the department is reviewing promotions for 10,000 constables and sergeants who have remained in their ranks for over a decade, along with an additional 1,000 warrant officers for salary upgrades.
In a significant retention move, SAPS is introducing a scarce skills allowance for members in specialised units such as the National Intervention Unit (NIU), Counter Assault Team (CAT), hostage negotiators, divers, airborne law enforcement officers, and vessel handlers.
“We are prioritising talent retention in high-risk environments,” said Masemola.
“The extra incentive is above the current service allowance, and will ensure that we keep skilled officers in the most demanding and dangerous roles.”
Mchunu reaffirmed the government's commitment to professionalising policing and reducing violent crime:
“We are identifying key enablers in the policing sector – from intelligence to infrastructure – to ensure we strengthen crime fighting and restore trust in our law enforcement agencies,” he said.
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