We held another Commemoration Day on15 May. It is an annual event to remember our fallen heroes and heroines who died in the line of duty. Last year a total of 107 members of the SAPS died on duty.

We are tired of counting numbers as if it is a nice thing to do. We are dealing with human beings, not just mathematical numbers. These are men and women who have left families and friends in the most tragic way. Police killings must stop.

What is the cause of police killings? Various theories come to the fore. Whatever reasons or theories, one death of a police officer is one too many and is unacceptable throughout the world. Police officers are precious assets for both the Government and the community. They deserve unconditional respect as the custodians of law and order. As law enforcers, police officers who are well trained at that should not play a second fiddle to criminals. Enough is enough. We must go back to basics and follow the basic rules of policing to the letter.

The top management of the SAPS are doing everything in their power to protect members from deadly attacks by thugs, by, for example, issuing bulletproof vests. But does everyone wear this outfit when it is needed most? Do members accompany each other and cover each other in the process when visiting the scenes of crime? Are police officials always alert wherever they are, whether on or off duty?

Whatever resources police management may use to protect police officers would be futile, unless police officers do something to protect themselves and their colleagues on the ground.The other day I had a conversation with the Mpumalanga Provincial Chairperson of the Community Policing Forum, Mr Mandla Mphuthi, about the relations between the police and the public. Mr Mphuthi feels strongly that the police and the community go past each other. He maintains that there is a need for the police to make effective use of the CPFs in order for the latter to act as an extension to the general public. The CPFs should facilitate this much needed relationship to help change the perceptions about the police.

I cannot agree more with Mr. Mphuthi he hit the nail on the head. The police should constantly liaise and interact with communities through the CPFs. This way we may win the hearts of the general public and together we can fight against and protect each other from attacks by criminals. There must be harmony between the community and the police.

The Subsection Internal and Project Communication of Communication and Liaison Services at Head Office has undertaken to publish a pamphlet on police killings with a special focus on safety measures and precautions police members should take.

It will cover some basic precautions such as that operational members should wear bulletproof vests and that no member should ever go to a crime scene alone and unarmed. If you have safety information and tips that you feel should be included in this pamphlet, please contact Insp E Niewoudt at (012) 393 5517.

Police members should also remember that they do have the right to protect themselves. The Minister for Safety and Security, Mr Charles Nqakula said in his Budget Vote address to Parliament this year: “I want to repeat that police officials whose lives are threatened have the right to defend themselves even if it means using their service firearms to do this. They have a responsibility, also, to defend innocent citizens whose lives are at risk from criminals who would want to murder them. In such instances, the police will have a right to use their weapons to save people’s lives.”

Recently the SAPS Journal discovered that South Africans across the globe showed their support against the spate of police killings by sending emails to the SAPS Journal. In May, the Journal received more than 4 000 emails in an answer to an anonymous email that asked for names to be added to a list that would supposedly be published in the SAPS Journal. Well, nobody at the SAPS Journal knew where the first email originated from, but we were amazed as to the response thereof.

Emails were received from South Africans now living in Dubai and in London! It was heartwarming to see that South Africans even from far afield care about SAPS members. Their honest and genuine empathy is to be welcomed.

In the same breath we need to remind those who contemplate committing suicide that it is not worth it and it is unnecessary. Members must care enough about themselves and value their own lives as the most important gift from God, and nurture it rather than destroy it.

Remember, if you feel that your work or circumstances are becoming too much to handle, if you feel you cannot cope anymore, please seek help. The personnel from the Employee Assistance Support Centre are always available. Just call 0860 1030 55. Be alert. Be careful. South Africa and the SAPS need every one of our members to be alive and well.

As managers in the SAPS we should repeat this message to our colleagues as frequently as possible, in order to preserve life, because we care to live.

By Assistant Commissioner MJ Ngobeni,
Head: Communication and Liaison Services