Mashatile: Fighting crime should not be politicised

Deputy President Paul Mashatile said fighting crime in the country should not be politicised.

Mashatile, who chairs Cabinet’s Justice and Crime Prevention Cluster, was answering questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.

He said the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee into police corruption have revealed glaring weaknesses within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The Deputy President moved to assure members of Parliament (MPs) that the process of ridding the force of corrupt elements has already begun.

He noted that while political leadership is critical within the police, the lack of resources is not necessarily the problem in fighting crime, but rather the "bad apples" within its ranks.

“Some of the revelations at the Madlanga Commission just show exactly how much we need to do to clean that environment of policing,” Mashatile stated.

Mashatile said trust in the police will be restored once corrupt officers are removed, adding that the process will take time. “We will not win overnight. The police is a big force all over the country,” he said.

He emphasised that the government will have to move with speed once the inquiries have been finalised to ensure the right people are appointed in key positions, and that their work is closely monitored.

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