Queensland Police Union Journal

International Police Perspectives
‘POPCRU TACKLES POLICE KILLINGS IN SOUTH AFRICA’
The South African Police Service (SAPS) estimates that a police officer is killed every ten days in the country.
It is for this reason that the country’s leading Police Union, POPCRU, has launched various campaigns in defence of the
lives of police officers.
South Africa is known for its high crime rate and this is no different when it comes to the safety of the members of
SAPS. The men and women in blue are dedicated in their work and are directed by the Constitution of the country
which states ‘the South African Police Service has a responsibility to prevent, combat, and investigate crime.
Also to maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, and uphold and
enforce the law’.
“The South African Police Service estimates that a police officer is killed
every ten days in the country.”
They are to create a safe and secure environment for all South Africans. The challenge remains their safety.
The killing of police officers is a serious issue worldwide and POPCRU is working hard to ensure that South Africans
are conscientious about the need to actively ensure the safety of officers.
Clearly, the butchering of police by criminals creates difficulties for police in discharging their duties as prescribed
within the SA constitution that governs their role in society.
It is for this reason that POPCRU pays vigorous attention to this phenomenon that continues to both undermine the
great work done by police officers in general, and also the image of the country.
The killings are persistent and are evidenced by the numbers below:
POLICE KILLINGS PER PROVINCE
PROVINCE 2005-2006 2006- 2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2005-2012
Eastern Cape 16 6 12 11 10 11 15 81
Free State 1 6 8 6 2 6 7 36
Gauteng 26 38 38 21 24 33 21 201
Kwazulu-Natal 23 32 21 28 25 17 14 160
Mpumalanga 7 7 9 6 4 8 8 49
North West 7 8 2 3 2 2 5 29
Northern Cape 1 3 1 2 0 1 0 8
Limpopo 4 2 6 7 8 2 8 37
Western Cape 10 6 10 11 10 7 3 57
TOTAL 2005-2012 658
The above statistics prove that the numbers are large – especially when one takes into account that they relate to
human life.
The POPCRU concern regarding the killing of police officers was echoed by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa in a speech
during December last year when he said, ‘we are under no illusion that all of us as law-abiding South Africans have a
protracted war ahead of us, a war that has been declared by heartless criminals on our men and women in blue’.
These heartless criminals killing our police are not staying in the bushes or mountains. These are our brothers and
sisters. We stay with them, we know them, and they are members of society.
POPCRU’s campaign is centred on encouraging the public to speak out and expose them. Let us protect our protectors.
Queensland Police Union Journal June 2013
47