EDITORIAL | SA’s future is in your hands, Masemola. Let’s hope you’re cop to it

When SA was gripped by unrest in July 2021, a collective outcry reverberated around the country. 

From the homes of those who cowered as gunshots rang out in the streets to wrecked shopfronts in the Durban CBD and Johannesburg’s Alexandra, the sentiment was simple, but inescapable: “Where are the police?”

The question did not only relate to their physical presence, but also to the lack of intelligence before the violence. South Africans are well acquainted with the challenges facing the SAPS regarding staffing, the poor state of police stations and lack of intelligence.

More significantly, the incoming commissioner, Gen Sehlahle Masemola, has to contend with a gaping trust deficit the nation has with the police. 

The SAPS’s image was immeasurably harmed during the unrest, with many citizens feeling that when they needed them most, the police were nowhere to be found. This was compounded by police minister Bheki Cele repeatedly deriding former commissioner Khehla Sitole for his lack of visibility during the period. Cele went so far as to say he relied on tip-offs about the unrest from the public, as opposed to receiving clear information from crime intelligence. The statements, and Sitole’s subsequent denial of invisibility, are an indictment on their relationship and the state of police services in SA.

Masemola will need to prove to South Africans that he is the leader we’ve been waiting for. Our experience of SAPS leadership has left much to be desired. 

With only 180,000 officers available in a country of more than 60-million people, the SAPS is at a disadvantage. The high-level panel into the July unrest pointed out that the private security service dwarfs the police service — it is three times its size. The challenges for Masemola are significant, but not insurmountable with the correct political will and support. 

On the flipside, Masemola will need to prove to South Africans that he is the leader we’ve been waiting for. Our experience of SAPS leadership has left much to be desired. 

Jackie Selebi left in disgrace over a bribery scandal, Cele (now the political head of the SAPS) was removed in a police leasing scandal and Sitole also left under a cloud. 

For Masemola to succeed, he will need to be ruthless in dealing with discipline in the force and honest with political leaders and lawmakers about what it will take to get the SAPS back on track. Cele's future also depends on Masemola's success. One advantage Masemola has is that much analysis has already been conducted, such as the high-level panel and the SAPS’s reports to parliament. The country’s image as stable and safe, severely dented by the July unrest, is in his hands and will be judged by the moves he makes in the coming months.