Civic movement calls on Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency on crime

THE SAVE South Africa Civic Movement is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency on crime.

The movement said it is not a secret that the citizens of this country are living in constant fear due to the ugly spectre of crime.

It said criminals have declared war against the citizens, including the president. This "crime flood" is attacking our economy directly and it has the potential to destroy our tourism industry and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMME's), it warned.

“Our country is in the hands of both the local and foreign criminals and the only strong and strategic way in facing crime head-on is through the declaration of state of emergency. It is our view that the state of emergency will bring positive results as we have seen during Covid-19.

“We are further saying, if the president is serious about ending crime, criminal activities and crime committed by illegal immigrants, he will call for a state of emergency without hesitation,” said Save South Africa Civic Movement spokesperson Tebogo Mashilompane.

He said further: “The state of emergency will, one, deal with crime in general within the country. Two, it will be able to silence and get rid of foreign criminals who see South Africa as their play ground. And this has nothing to do with xenophobia but crime and criminals. We reject any attitude that seeks to suggest that we will encourage xenophobia. This is about our country and nothing else”.

Mashilompane said South Africans are robbed and killed on a daily basis by fearless criminals.

He added that some men and women in blue are scared of the criminals, hence the high rate of crime.

“Even former Police Minister Bheki Cele registered his fear on national television. Cele was actually saying he is scared of these criminals because they are dangerous. If a police minister who had bodyguards was scared and hopeless, what about ordinary citizens on the streets?” asked Mashilompane.

He said South Africans are extremely tired, scared and angry when it comes to the issue of crime.

“So, we are saying Mr President, you have a Constitutional duty to protect the citizens. We are further saying; Mr President make use of the powers vested upon you by the Constitution of South Africa and declare a state of emergency on crime, once and for all,” Mashilompane said.

He added that it is common knowledge that illegal firearms find their way to the country through the borders.

Mashilompane said that the recent discovery of an illegal military base for Libyan nationals confirms that the country’s security is at risk.

Asked what a state of emergency on crime would look like, Mashilompane said “by the closing of borders and the deployment of the army to the borders”.

He said, in addition, that “the army be deployed internally to bring stability and assist the police. Patrols, roadblocks and stop-and-searches. Removal of all illegal immigrants. Police and army presence in townships and cities. There is a need for a revival of army commandos.”

He also suggested that courts should operate 24 hours a day.

“Remove drugs from the streets completely. Remove those who hijacked buildings. Government infrastructure projects to be monitored by the army, to eliminate tender mafias. Airports and any port of entry to be guarded by the army,” he said .

Mashilompane also said there is a need for a specialised unit to investigate all SAPS members who are alleged to have been involved in any wrongdoing.

“Strengthen the intelligence from police and the Defence Force. A special investigative unit is needed for Home Affairs officials who have committed fraudulent activities, invalidating all South African IDs that were issued to illegal immigrants,” Mashilompane said.

Wendy Pascoe Senior, lead investigator at Pascoe Investigations (Pty) Ltd, said South Africa has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately with a high crime rate, corruption and political instability. The country is facing numerous challenges that are hindering its progress.

“The recent call by the civic movement to declare a state of emergency due to the high crime rate has sparked a debate among citizens. In my opinion, declaring a state of emergency is a necessary step to address the growing crime problem in South Africa.

“First and foremost, the crime rate in South Africa has reached alarming levels with no signs of improvement. The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 58 murders per day. The recent spike in violent crimes such as armed robberies, hijackings and home invasions has left citizens feeling vulnerable and unsafe,” said Pascoe.

According to statistics from South Africa Police Service (SAPS), there were 1.2 million reported crimes in 2020 alone, with an increase of 6.6% from the previous year.

Pascoe said these numbers are a clear indication that something needs to be done urgently.

“The civic movement's call for a state of emergency is not without reason. The movement argues that declaring a state of emergency will give the government more power to tackle crime effectively. It will also allow for the deployment of the military to assist in reducing crime levels. This move has been used in the past during apartheid, and it proved effective in curbing crime.

“Declaring a state of emergency would also send a strong message to criminals that their actions will not be tolerated,” Pascoe said.

She further said declaring a state of emergency will bring attention to the issue and force the government to take immediate action.

“The government has been criticised for not doing enough to address the high crime rate in the country. By declaring a state of emergency, it would be a clear indication that they acknowledge the severity of the situation and are willing to take decisive action. It would also serve as a wake-up call for the government to allocate more resources towards improving the country's security and safety.

“One of the main concerns raised by those against declaring a state of emergency is that it would violate citizens' rights and lead to abuse of power by the government. While this is a valid concern, the state of emergency does not mean that citizens' rights will be disregarded. It is a temporary measure aimed at addressing a critical situation. The government can still ensure that human rights are protected while taking necessary measures to combat crime” she said.

Pascoe said that in addition to this, declaring a state of emergency would send a message to the international community that South Africa is taking steps to address its crime problem.

She said the high crime rate in the country has had a negative impact on tourism and investment. By showing that it is taking decisive action, the government can assure tourists and investors that their safety and security will be prioritised.

It is not all doom and gloom, however, this week Ramaphosa signed into law legislation affirming the institutional and operational independence of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and empowering the watchdog to investigate serious alleged offences committed by police officers whether they were off duty or not.

“The newly enacted Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Act is an outcome of a comprehensive review of the principal IPID Act of 2011 initiated by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

He added that IPID is enabled to investigate rape by a member of the SAPS or a member of a municipal police service, whether such member was on or off duty.