Members of the SA Police Service deployed in Gauteng province ahead of the June 30 anti-immigrants protest. It may be impossible to have more boots on the ground if the officers are not well compensated, says the writer.
Esewu Mxolisi Mathebula
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is responsible for ensuring that the citizens of South Africa are protected against harm and feel safe wherever they are, and this is a Constitutional mandate (Section 205(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996).
The protection further extends to all people who live in South Africa. It is a fact that there is a plethora of both illegal (undocumented) and legal (documented) foreign nationals who live and work in South Africa, and the citizens of South Africa are compelled to share the limited resources such as medical services, work spaces, schools and more with them.
Furthermore, the police are to protect everyone equally while ensuring that those who are in the country illegally are arrested and deported back to their respective countries. However, the police have raised concerns over the years about inadequate resources, which are mainly due to budgetary constraints.
