Deputy President Paul Mashatile has said that fighting crime in South Africa should not be politicised, calling for cooperation between national government, provinces, and communities to tackle gangsterism and violent crime.

Speaking in the National Assembly during a question-and-answer session, Mashatile outlined interventions aimed at strengthening the South African Police Service (SAPS) and improving public safety.

Responding to Democratic Alliance MP George Michalakis, who asked whether interventions to bolster crime intelligence had been effective, Mashatile said the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) had introduced several measures.

These include the National Anti-Gang Strategy, aimed at dismantling gang networks through intelligence gathering, proactive policing, community engagement, and collaboration with stakeholders.

“The SAPS has further expanded the scope of the anti-gang units to include gang-related cases such as drug trafficking, shootings, and murders, not just in the Western Cape but also in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng,” Mashatile said.

He added that operations like Operation Shanela and Operation Vala Umgodi  would support these units, and that a multi-anti-gang plan for the Western Cape had already been finalised with funding allocated. Digital analytics, surveillance, and data-driven policing were also being strengthened, with cross-agency collaboration including the South African Revenue Service to target organised crime.

Mashatile also referred to the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Ad-Hoc Committee investigating allegations by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, saying that these processes would shed light on areas where the criminal justice system and SAPS need strengthening.

“For now, we will refrain from specific commentary about the processes as they are still underway.

”We will continue to strengthen our Crime Intelligence Division to counter organised crime, gangsterism, and violent criminality in hotspot areas,” he said.

DA MP Baxolile Nodada questioned the effectiveness of SAPS, saying the service was “broken” and that Cape Town’s municipal police were effectively filling the gap.

Mashatile emphasised that the government’s approach is about cooperation rather than conflict. “If the Western Cape is already doing well, and more vehicles, we deploy resources all over the country. But some of the resources will deploy in the Western Cape. All we call for is collaboration because dealing with crime should not be politicised,” he said.

On the broader societal causes of gangsterism, ANC MP Oscar  Mathafa highlighted unemployment and poverty. Mashatile agreed, noting that crime cannot be addressed by policing alone.

“Social conditions also give rise to crime and violence. Our approach can never be that it’s just a policing matter. We must bring all players on board, including communities themselves,” he said.

Concerns over leadership and accountability within SAPS were raised by MKP MP Lucky Montana, who cited ongoing violent crime and corruption among crime intelligence officers. Mashatile acknowledged weaknesses in leadership and human resources, stating that the ongoing commissions would guide corrective action.

“Even when we look at this anti-gang plan, it is all-encompassing, looking at a broad approach not only anchored on policing but bringing other elements as well,” he said.

Bosa MP Mmusi Maimane raised public distrust of the police, pointing to misconduct and criminal activity by officers.

Mashatile said government interventions have begun to remove “bad apples” and deploy officers strategically to restore trust.

“We will make sure that the IPID is effective and it’s got the right people there, so that police who are not doing their work, who are doing wrong things, must be removed so that we keep the right men and women in blue who are dedicated to serving this country,” he said.

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za

IOL Politics 

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