During an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) webinar on Tuesday, a panel of prominent policing analysts reached a stark consensus: the dysfunction plaguing the SAPS is not just operational; it is a deep-rooted failure of ethical leadership
As explosive testimony before the Madlanga Commission continues to expose alleged links between senior police officials and criminal networks, policing experts are warning that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is facing a crisis far deeper than operational failures.
During an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) webinar on Tuesday, a panel of leading policing analysts agreed that the challenges confronting SAPS stem from a fundamental breakdown in ethical leadership at the highest levels of the organisation.
The discussion, moderated by ISS Justice and Violence Prevention head Lizette Lancaster, featured Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron, University of Cape Town Centre of Criminology associate professor Irvin Kinnes, and Gareth Newham, special adviser to Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia.
According to Cameron, everyone is aware that the criminal justice system as a whole is not doing well, and in the past year, has started to realise how deep-rooted the problems are.
