The Extent in Which the Tshwane Metro Police and South African Police Service Complements Each Other During the Service Delivery Protests and Related Crimes in Tshwane Area

Abstract

This study explores the extent in which the Tshwane Metro Police (TMP) and South African Police Service (SAPS) complements each other during the service delivery protests and related crimes in Tshwane area. The introduction of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in crime prevention. The 1998 White Paper on Safety and Security encourage a multi-disciplinary approach for crime prevention while the 2016 White Paper on Policing promotes inter-sectoral collaboration and integrated service delivery between the Metropolitan Police and SAPS. A qualitative research method was adopted in this study to collect data. Twenty-one (21) participants from panel of experts ranging from SAPS, TMP, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and academics in the field of policing as well as former members of SAPS were interviewed using open-ended interviews. The researcher followed purposive sampling. The study found that political interference in the affairs of both police organisation and limitations of powers to MPDs as negatively affect the relationship between the TMP and SAPS during the service delivery protests and related crimes. The study found that the two policing agencies do support each other during the service delivery protests and related crimes, however, the challenge is only command and control which is designated to SAPS Public Order Policing (POP) only as the custodian of policing in South Africa. The study recommends that in future the command and control must be designated to both the MPD and SAPS to avoid the abuse of power and unnecessary conflicts, thus, whoever responded first to the scene of protest, such policing agency must provide command and control.