JMPD notes major success after establishment of Tactical Response Unit

JOHANNESBURG - Since the establishment of a Tactical Response Unit in November last year, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) claims it has had major successes.

While they have arrested individuals and confiscated drugs and firearms, there remains one constraint in that they cannot investigate these cases further.

This is due to metro cops' mandate of being a supportive structure to the South African Police Service (SAPS) who are the only entity with the powers to investigate dockets.

Metro police do not hold any power to investigate cases that go to court as this function is the sole mandate of SAPS.

ALSO: Metro police calling for limited investigative powers to allow case prosecution

But the City of Joburg MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku believes JMPD should be granted powers not only to investigate traffic offences and by-law infringements, but general crime within the precinct of the city.

"JMPD, it's only mandate is to do traffic and by-law but crime prevention is the function of SAPS, but we have taken it over because they are failing dismally."

Laws within the country clearly outline the functions of metro police versus saps - which are vastly different - and don’t currently make provisions for metro police to investigate cases.

However, a white paper on policing states a regulatory framework must be established for conferring limited investigative power for metro police departments to investigate cases within their mandate.