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The Democratic Alliance (DA) adopted various new policy resolutions dealing with different aspects of crime within communities at our Federal Congress over the weekend.

One of the most important resolutions deals with the decentralization of the South African Police Service (SAPS). This resolution seeks to move power from national government to provincial and municipal levels to better serve local communities. Of utmost importance is also the training of police officers and capacitating of police stations to better deal with gender-based violence plaguing communities.

The decentralization of SAPS will put the power where it truly belongs – on provincial and municipal level with officers who are entrenched in and a part of the communities they serve. It will ensure that the right equipment and expertise is present where it’s needed most. This approach is of most use to the safety and security of communities.

The DA is committed to safeguarding communities in this way, unlike the ANC government who seeks to centralise power within national government.

The draft SAPS Amendment Bill proves this. Unlike the DA, the ANC through this Bill, is attempting to affect an unconstitutional power-grab by centralizing policing in the office the Minister of Police.

Since the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown, there have been numerous farm murders and attacks. There have been multitudes of incidents of gender-based violence. There has been a legion of other serious and petty crimes that will have no hope of ever being stifled if local police stations are disempowered with the SAPS Service Amendment Bill.

Communities in South Africa are in crisis due to ever increasing crime rates. They need solutions that will benefit and serve them, not remove the little power they have left.

We commend the delegates at the DA Federal Congress for once again reaffirming the DA’s commitment to not only keep our streets safe but also to decentralising the police and putting power back in the hands of our communities and the local men and women in blue.

Issued by DA