Bungled crime scenes to blame for growing list of cold cases

Heavy caseload frustrates SA's hard-pressed detectives, leaving killers free to roam the streets

Undertrained, overburdened and inept detectives who regularly bungle crime scenes are to blame for the fact that hundreds of murders go unsolved every year.

According to experts, many detectives do not have the necessary skills and police stations lack the equipment for them to do their jobs. Detectives also carry too big a caseload, hampering their investigations.

The Institute for Security Studies says investigators have an average caseload of about 100 crimes at any given time - far more than the 50 to 60 that would be regarded as manageable.

Official figures in the police force's 2013-14 annual report show that a suspect is identified or arrested in just 46% of serious crimes, a detection rate that is regularly criticised in parliament.

The report showed that, at the end of the 2013-14 year, South Africa had 26 016 "incomplete" murder cases, along with 7065 attempted murders, 15669 sexual offences, 38529 home burglaries and 42 988 motor vehicle thefts. There were also 24 235 "trio" cases - hijackings and robberies of homes and businesses - that were still open.

The report did not specify over what period the crimes were committed.

Frans Cronje, CEO of the South African Institute for Race Relations, said police faced an almost "insurmountable challenge" because of the sheer volume of crimes.

"South Africa's murder rate, which is that 33 out of 100000 people will be murdered [annually], is among the highest in the world. Our detectives are tasked with something that cannot be achieved," he said.

But Cronje added: "They do themselves no favours by being thoroughly inept and incompetent. They make the problem more difficult than it would ordinarily be."

story_article_left1

He said police bungling in three recent high-profile killings - those of Reeva Steenkamp, Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa and Anni Dewani - showed just how poor policing could be.

Oscar Pistorius was acquitted of murder last year in the death of Steenkamp, but convicted on the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

"Remember the shambles ... over the crime scene and the allegations of police officers stealing watches," Cronje said.

"The lead investigator needed to be taken off case as he was facing charges. I felt the circumstances should have made it possible for the police to collect and present evidence that left the court with no option but to go with murder."

The state is appealing against the court's decision to find Pistorius not guilty of murder.

Meyiwa was shot dead in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, in October last year. Four months later, the special task team investigating the case appears to have made little progress.

Lizette Lancaster, manager of the crime and justice hub at the Institute for Security Studies, said the detective service needed huge improvements. "People lose faith in the system because they feel that nothing happens in their cases, and that crimes are not solved."

A 2012 report by parliament's police portfolio committee painted a picture of a detective service that was under strain, underskilled and beset by low morale.

story_article_right2

The committee found:

• More than 16000 detectives had not gone through specialised training courses;
• Just under 5000 detectives had not received basic detective training;
• Crime scene management was poor, which led to faulty collection and protection of evidence;
• The police force was rapidly losing skilled detectives; and
• Many police stations did not have enough vehicles or basic equipment for detectives.

"The inadequate training of detectives and branch commanders has been a recurring concern. The lack of proper training ... has a negative impact on the general quality of investigations," the report stated.

Oscar Skommere, general secretary of the South African Policing Union, said there were serious problems within the detective service.

"We are not expecting positive conviction rates due to the high volume of cases they are allocated," he said.

The police force did not respond to requests for comment.

savidesm@sundaytimes.co.za