THE National Policing Summit, held from 8 to 10 April, under the theme ‘Efficiency in Action: Optimising South Africa’s Policing Potential’ aimed to strengthen the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) efforts to become modern, responsive and community-focused.
The summit tackled important issues: the necessary balance between police visibility and investigating crime, the imperative of adapting the service to a rapidly changing policing landscape, and the critical role of technology in fostering a safer society.
While such summits typically produce commendable outcomes on paper, focusing on the concrete actions that will follow thereafter is essential.
The Joslin Smith trial serves as a stark reminder that murder, trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion have entrenched themselves in South Africa’s criminal underworld.
Syndicates involved in the illegal drug trade, the construction mafia, and even acts…